Auburn Baseball Sweeps Youngstown State in Season Opener

Tigers' pitching dominates, offense comes alive in Game 3 rout

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The 5th-ranked Auburn Tigers opened their 2026 baseball season with a three-game sweep of Youngstown State, including a run-rule victory in the final game. The Tigers' starting pitchers combined for 29 strikeouts and just one walk over 16 innings, setting career highs. While the offense struggled early, it broke out for 17 runs in the series finale.

Why it matters

Auburn's dominant pitching performance and eventual offensive outburst in the season opener suggest the Tigers could have an elite pitching staff and a dangerous lineup as the season progresses. This strong start sets the team up well for upcoming matchups against Cincinnati and in the College Baseball Series tournament.

The details

In the three-game series, Auburn's starting pitchers - Jake Marciano, Jackson Sanders, and Alex Petrovic - combined to strike out 29 batters with just one walk. Marciano set a career-high with 12 strikeouts, while Sanders and Petrovic also recorded career-bests with 8 and 9 strikeouts, respectively. Overall, Auburn pitchers allowed just 4 runs on 11 hits with 43 strikeouts and 6 walks. Offensively, the Tigers struggled to produce runs in the first two games, winning 2-1 in both contests. But they broke out in a big way in the series finale, routing Youngstown State 17-2, including a home run from sophomore catcher Chase Fralick in his first at-bat.

  • The three-game series was Auburn's season-opening set, played from February 14-16, 2026.
  • Game 3, the 17-2 rout, took place on February 16, 2026.

The players

Jake Marciano

Auburn starting pitcher who set a career-high with 12 strikeouts in the series opener.

Jackson Sanders

Auburn starting pitcher who recorded a career-best 8 strikeouts in his outing.

Alex Petrovic

Auburn starting pitcher who struck out 9 batters, also a career-high, in his start.

Chase Fralick

Auburn sophomore catcher who hit a home run in his first at-bat of Game 3.

Butch Thompson

Auburn's head baseball coach who was pleased with the team's pitching and defense over the weekend.

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What they’re saying

“I was tickled to death, three really good starts. There was a lot of execution. I thought the defense played well, too. I really saw the three guys we committed to start have a commitment of really trying to force in the strike zone.”

— Butch Thompson, Auburn Head Coach (Auburn Baseball (Twitter)

What’s next

Auburn will host the Cincinnati Bearcats for a midweek matchup on Tuesday, February 18th, before traveling to Arlington, Texas for the College Baseball Series tournament next weekend.

The takeaway

Auburn's dominant pitching performance and offensive breakout in the series finale suggest the Tigers could have the makings of an elite team this season. If the pitching staff continues to excel and the lineup finds its stride, Auburn could emerge as a top contender in the SEC and nationally.