Auburn Tigers Sweep Missouri in SEC Opener

No. 5 Auburn wins two close games to start conference play 3-0

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:44am

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The No. 5 Auburn Tigers opened SEC play with a road series sweep over the Missouri Tigers, winning both games of a Saturday doubleheader. Auburn won the first game 4-3 in 10 innings and the second game 9-1 to improve to 17-2 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Tigers got strong pitching performances throughout the series, with starters Jackson Sanders and Alex Petrovic leading the way.

Why it matters

This early-season SEC sweep on the road is an impressive accomplishment for the Auburn Tigers, who are looking to build on their strong start and make a push for the conference title and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers have now won 10 games in a row and are establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the SEC.

The details

In the first game, Auburn took a 3-1 lead but Missouri tied it in the 8th inning. The Tigers then scored the winning run in the 10th on an RBI single by Chase Fralick. In the second game, Auburn broke open a close game with a 7-run 7th inning, highlighted by a 3-run home run from Ethin Bingaman. Starter Alex Petrovic pitched 7.2 strong innings to earn the win.

  • The series sweep took place on March 14-15, 2026.
  • Auburn won the first game on Saturday afternoon and the second game on Saturday evening.

The players

Butch Thompson

The head coach of the Auburn Tigers baseball team.

Ethin Bingaman

An Auburn outfielder who hit a 3-run home run in the second game of the doubleheader.

Jackson Sanders

The Auburn starting pitcher who held Missouri to 1 run in 7 innings in the first game.

Alex Petrovic

The Auburn starting pitcher who earned the win in the second game, holding Missouri to 1 run in 7.2 innings.

Chase Fralick

The Auburn player who drove in the winning run in the 10th inning of the first game.

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What they’re saying

“I know a sweep on the road, how tough that is, how special that is. I thought all six starting pitchers — their three, our three — were exceptional. That big inning was huge for us.”

— Butch Thompson, Auburn Head Coach

“I'd rather lose a game than lose a player, and I think we may have lost one today.”

— Butch Thompson, Auburn Head Coach

What’s next

Auburn will host No. 4 Georgia Tech on Tuesday, March 17 before returning to SEC play next weekend with a 3-game series against No. 2 Texas.

The takeaway

This early-season SEC road sweep is an impressive accomplishment for the No. 5 Auburn Tigers, who are establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the conference and building momentum towards a potential NCAA Tournament run.