AUBURN, Ala. – On the eve of the NCAA Auburn Regional, head coach Butch Thompson said the team that best handles adversity would be the team that advances.
“Figure out a solution when adversity hits because we’re going to have it,” Thompson said Thursday.
Adversity hit No. 4 Auburn early Friday with a 13-8 loss to Milwaukee at Plainsman Park, sending the Tigers to the loser’s bracket.
“Milwaukee was superior offensively in their at-bats for nine innings,” Thompson said. “That was the difference in the game. They had four runs on the first 16 pitches. We couldn’t slow them down today.”
Auburn got home runs from Ethin Bingaman, Chase Fralick and Eric Guevara, but the Horizon League Tournament champions grabbed an early 10-0 lead and held on to upset the regional’s top seed. It marked Auburn's first loss when hitting multiple home runs this season.
Brady Horn’s three-run home run was the big blow in a four-run first inning for the visitors, who earned the second NCAA Tournament win in program history and first since 1999.
Three straight hits to start the top of the second inning chased Auburn starter Jake Marciaco (5-6), who allowed six earned runs in 1.0 innings while striking out two.
LJ Cormier relieved Marciano, giving up four earned runs in 2.2 innings while striking out two. Milwaukee’s Charlie Marion hit his team-leading 13th homer, a three-run shot, to give the Panthers a 10-0 lead in the top of the fourth.
Bingaman put a jolt into the crowd of 6,408 with a three-run homer, his 12th of the season, over the War Eagle Wall in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Chris Rembert and Bub Terrell, who led off with singles.
After Milwaukee added a run in the top of fifth, Auburn answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Taylor Belza, who led Auburn with two hits, scored on Guevara’s RBI groundout, then Fralick smashed his 15th homer over the right field wall.
The long balls helped the Tigers score five runs in the middle innings to get within striking distance, trailing 11-5 when lightning in the area delayed the game for a half-hour midway through the sixth inning.
After the 32-minute weather delay, Milwaukee retired the Tigers in order in the bottom of the sixth to preserve its six-run lead. The Panthers increased their lead to 12-5 in the top of the seventh on an RBI double, their seventh extra-base hit of the game.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Guevara hammered his 13th home run of the season off the scoreboard, scoring Mason McCraine, who had doubled, to cut Auburn’s deficit to 12-7.
“The game didn’t go the way we wanted it,” said Guevara, who drove in half of Auburn’s eight runs. “We have another game tomorrow and we can still do something really special at home. We have a great guy going on the mound tomorrow and we’re all behind him.”
Auburn’s fifth pitcher, Jett Johnston, struck out Horn looking to end the top of the eighth, leaving the bases loaded.
Milwaukee reliever Riley Peterson (6-4) set down the Tigers in order in the bottom of the eighth, earning the victory by pitching the final 5.0 innings, allowing five earned runs while striking out four with no walks.
Auburn pitchers issued six walks, including one with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth that put Milwaukee ahead 13-7.
Auburn loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, scoring on Guevara’s sacrifice fly before a fly to center ended the game.
Abe Chancellor, Marcel Kulik, Johnston, Ethan Harden, Christian Chatterton and Justice de Jong all pitched for Auburn.
Needing to win four consecutive games to win the regional, Auburn (38-20) plays the loser of Friday’s second game between Central Florida (31-21) and NC State (32-22) on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
“They’ve done it all year long,” Thompson said. “I really want to see our best here. Didn’t get off to a good start. This time of year, you have to play great. I look for them to do it because of the track record they have. We’ll have to execute better than we did today, especially on the mound, that’s been such a huge strength for us.”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer