OMAHA, Neb. – No. 14 Auburn (42-20) makes its sixth College World Series appearance, including its second in the last three seasons, opening play against Ole Miss (37-22) Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.
Next Game:
vs. Ole Miss
Saturday, June 18, 2022
6 p.m. CT
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
"They've been challenged with low expectations, and it just drove them even more to this point," head coach Butch Thompson said. We're walking in here thinking we're not done yet. That's a great feeling for a baseball team.
"We hope the best is yet to come this week, but we're sure thankful to be here. This is the pinnacle for us and for college baseball. I'm glad the Auburn Tigers are part of this session."
The game will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on 93.9 FM. The contest will also be aired nationally on ESPN2.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Saturday – So. RHP Joseph Gonzalez (7-3, 2.95) vs. Jr. RHP Dylan DeLucia (6-2, 4.35)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn is one of six programs to appear in two of the last three College World Series, joining Arkansas, Mississippi State, Stanford, Texas and Vanderbilt on the short list.
Butch Thompson is one of five active SEC coaches who have taken their program to a pair of College World Series in a three-season span, joining Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt), Chris Lemonis (Mississippi State), Kevin O'Sullivan (Florida) and Dave Van Horn (Arkansas).
To get here, the Tigers became the first team to defeat Oregon State in a home super regional.
In 2019, Auburn became the first program to defeat North Carolina in Chapel Hill Super Regional and is the only program to win two road super regionals in the last three tournaments.
After hitting .209 and scoring 11 runs in the four games leading up to the tournament, Auburn is hitting .303 and has scored 65 runs 67 hits in six NCAA Tournament games.
The Tigers outscored Southeastern, Florida State and UCLA 51-18 in three games in the Auburn Regional, marking the most runs by a SEC team in the first three games of a regional.
Sonny DiChiara is one home run shy of matching the program record (23) set by fellow SEC Player of the Year Hunter Morris in 2010.
Blake Burkhalter's 15 saves are second in the country and second in single-season history.
SCOUTING THE REBELS
Ole Miss enters the College World Series with a 37-22 overall record and a 5-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament.
The Rebels won eight of their last 10 regular season games and have outscored opponents 46-11 in five postseason games.
Offensively, the Rebels are hitting .279 and are led by Kevin Graham's .331 clip. Tim Elko leads the way in offensive production with 22 home runs and 71 RBI.
The pitching staff has turned in a 4.44 ERA with 618 strikeouts in 510.1 innings. Saturday starter Dylan DeLucia leads the team in wins (6), innings (78.2) and is second in strikeouts (88).
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES CENTRAL
All of the information surrounding the 2022 Men's College World Series can be found here.