'Amazing': Auburn earns rings with championship performance

'Amazing': Auburn earns rings with championship performance'Amazing': Auburn earns rings with championship performance
Wade Rackley

ATLANTA – Just as he did last year in Raleigh, North Carolina, Auburn coach Butch Thompson gathered his team, bent over to retrieve a ring hidden in his uniform, then displayed it emphatically on his right hand while the Tigers shouted their approval.

Put another ring on it.

For the first time in program history, Auburn has won back-to-back NCAA Tournament regional championships. The Tigers will play at North Carolina this weekend in a super regional, needing two wins to advance to the College World Series for the first time since 1997.

"It's special for us to get to go to back-to-back super regionals," Thompson said. "Thankful to be part of such a special university. Crowds were amazing for both teams. And I do have to tip my cap to our faithful, after all we've been through, for them to show up en masse and lock shields with us for this regional says a lot about the true blue Auburn fans."

Auburn fans comprised at least half of the 3,718 in attendance at Russ Chandler Stadium, giving the ballpark a Plainsman Park feel when Ryan Bliss caught the final out and the Tigers emptied their dugout to celebrate with closer Cody Greenhill in the infield.

"Cody Greenhill's been there all year," Thompson said. "That made it special to see our pitching staff come together, because we're playing an elite team, and it had to. It was right on time."

Greenhill and starter Bailey Horn combined to three-hit the powerful Yellow Jackets, with Horn throwing three shutout innings before a two-hour rain delay and three more scoreless innings after.

"I was feeling good," said Horn (4-0), the winning pitcher. "I had confidence in our team that we could come out and play well and get the win. We've all been believing in ourselves that we could do it, and it's showing up finally."

Regional MVP Steven Williams highlighted the offensive effort for the third straight day, driving in the eventual game winning run with a two-run double to left to make it 3-0 in the sixth inning after Rankin Woley knocked in Auburn's first run.

"I'm really proud of the guys," said Williams, who drove in 10 runs in the regional, including his walk-off three-run home run to defeat Georgia Tech 6-5 on Saturday. "Coach Gabe [Gross] told us before the game that this game is going to be won with defense, pitching. I think it's safe to say that we did that."

Judd Ward highlighted Auburn's defensive effort, recording his eighth outfield assist by doubling up a Georgia Tech baserunner at first base to douse a potential rally after the Tigers took the lead.

"When I caught it, I saw Will [Holland], he deked the runner and kept him at second for a second," Ward said. "When I looked up and saw that, I just let it go."

In the ninth, Ward dazzled again, racing back to deep left to track down a sharply hit ball to record the first out of the final inning.

"I was playing more toward the line because of the way Cody's fastball is, it runs off the plate and lefties have a hard time pulling," said Ward, explaining the strategy behind his positioning. "I knew it was going to be hit down the line. Just got a good jump on it and made a play."

"Judd made a heck of a two plays out there," Williams said. "A bunch of guys did. Bailey and Cody came in and shut the door. It's just a complete team performance right there. I couldn't be more proud of them."

Its postseason viability in question until a come-from-behind win at LSU on the final day of the regular season, Thompson's fourth Auburn team now stands two victories away from Omaha.

"It's a good lesson for me," Thompson said. "That if you'll just hang with some young people and stay with them, they can do some amazing things."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer