Auburn Pitching Dominates in 5-1 Win Over Kansas State

Tigers' pitchers combine to allow just 4 hits and 1 unearned run in season-opening victory

Feb. 21, 2026 at 4:19am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Auburn's pitching staff was dominant in a 5-1 victory over Kansas State on Friday night. Jake Marciano, Drew Whalen and Garrett Brewer combined to allow just one unearned run on four hits while striking out nine Wildcats. Marciano went six strong innings, allowing just two hits and no walks while fanning eight. Leadoff hitter Bristol Carter scored three runs and drove in another to pace the Auburn offense.

Why it matters

This was an impressive win for the 5th-ranked Auburn Tigers over a Kansas State team that was averaging over 14 runs per game. The Tigers' pitching staff was able to shut down the powerful Wildcats' offense, setting the tone for what could be a strong season for Auburn.

The details

Facing a Kansas State offense that was averaging over 14 runs per game, Auburn pitchers Jake Marciano, Drew Whalen and Garrett Brewer combined to allow just one unearned run as they gave up just four hits and didn't walk a batter while striking out nine Wildcats. Marciano went six innings, allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out eight. The Auburn offense managed 11 hits, led by leadoff man Bristol Carter who scored three runs and drove in another.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 21, 2026 at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The players

Jake Marciano

The Virginia Tech transfer allowed just two hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out eight Wildcats over six innings to pick up the win.

Drew Whalen

Threw a scoreless seventh inning and worked around a one-out double in the eighth to keep Auburn's lead at 3 runs.

Garrett Brewer

The Tigers' closer worked around a one-out double in the ninth to secure the 5-1 victory.

Bristol Carter

The Auburn leadoff hitter was 1-3 with a pair of walks, scored three runs and drove in another to pace the Tigers' offense.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It feels great. Being able to mix (he said was a key to his pitching) and just using my stuff to attack. Being able to establish the zone early and then being able to expand from there was really the key.”

— Jake Marciano

“We put Bristol Carter in that leadoff spot tonight and I think that made a difference. It made a difference on the bases. It made a difference in the short game with a slash (bunt). I just thought I saw some fight and scrap, and we somehow got to five.”

— Butch Thompson, Auburn Head Coach

What’s next

Auburn will look to build on this strong opening performance when they take on #10 Florida State on Saturday at 3:00 PM.

The takeaway

This was a complete team effort from Auburn, as their pitching staff shut down a powerful Kansas State offense while the offense, led by Bristol Carter, was able to scratch across enough runs to secure the victory. The Tigers will look to carry this momentum into the rest of their Texas trip and the start of SEC play.