Ole Miss defeats No. 4 seed Auburn 6-4 in Game 1 of Super Regional

AUBURN, Ala. (WLBT) - Ole Miss defeated No. 4 seed Auburn 6-3 Friday night in Game 1 of the Auburn Super Regional, moving one win away from the College World Series.

The Rebels (40-21) took a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three set behind timely hitting and back-to-back home runs. Game 2 is Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN.

Rebels take early lead

Ole Miss scored first in the second inning when Brayden Randle hit a RBI single, scoring Hayden Federico from second base for a 1-0 lead.

Auburn tied the game in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by catcher Chase Fralick, scoring Bristol Carter from third.

Ole Miss regained the lead in the fourth inning when Randle drove in Austin Fawley from second with his second RBI single of the night, making it 2-1.

Utermark, Reuter hit home runs

Third baseman Judd Utermark hit a two-run home run over the left field wall in the fifth inning, extending the Ole Miss lead to 4-1. It was his 22nd home run of the season, tying the team high. Utermark had struck out in his first two at-bats against Auburn starter Andreas Alvarez.

Auburn cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by second baseman Chris Rembert. Starter Hunter Elliott left after 4⅓ innings, and reliever Hudson Calhoun worked out of the jam.

Designated hitter Collin Reuter hit a two-run home run off the batter’s eye in center field in the sixth inning, making it 6-2.

Auburn scored in the sixth inning when Mason McCraine hit an RBI double, and then hit a solo homer in the ninth to make it a 6-4 game.

Ole Miss swept the Lincoln Regional 3-0 and has won four straight NCAA Tournament games. Auburn is the No. 4 overall seed in the tournament and will need to win back-to-back games to advance.

Game 2 is Saturday at 4 p.m. at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Alabama. If necessary, Game 3 would be Sunday.

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