Baseball News: 5-12-2026
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Dudley Dent
May 12, 2026, 8:15:12 AM (2 days ago) May 12
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Auburn Baseball News: 5-12-2026
Where does Auburn baseball stand in the latest RPI with one week left?:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/baseball/2026/05/11/auburn-baseball-rpi-ranking-final-week-ncaa/90026473007/
Auburn baseball notebook – May 11:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/11/auburn-baseball-notebook-may-11
Auburn Baseball Notebook: Top 5 Tigers with another tough week to end regular season:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-baseball-is-a-consensus-top-5-team-heading-into-the-final-week-of-the-regular-season-284934829/
Auburn Consensus Top-5 in Rankings After Latest SEC Series Win:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/baseball/auburn-consensus-top-5-rankings-latest-sec-series-win
No. 4 Auburn wraps up road trip at No. 24 Jacksonville State:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/11/no-4-auburn-wraps-up-road-trip-at-no-24-jacksonville-state
Bingaman delivering for Top 5 baseball Tigers in freshman season:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/ethin-bingaman-has-been-one-of-the-most-consistent-hitters-for-auburn-baseball-this-season-284964804/
Bingaman earns third SEC Freshman of the Week honor:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/11/bingaman-earns-third-sec-freshman-of-the-week-honor
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Where does Auburn baseball stand in the latest RPI with one week left?
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The Auburn Tigers made a statement over the weekend by taking two of three games from the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road to improve their SEC record to 16-10 with one series remaining.
There was zero doubt that Auburn would be a regional host for the upcoming NCAA Baseball tournament entering last weekend; however, they needed a strong showing in Starkville to increase their chances of becoming a national seed and to lock down home-field advantage in both the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Super Regionals for the second-straight season. So, did they accomplish their goal? Regional announcements are still two weeks away from being revealed, but the Tigers are in a great spot to lock down a national seed by checking in at No. 3 in the RPI rankings ahead of the final week of regular-season play.
Auburn holds the nation's toughest schedule, with its non-conference strength-of-schedule ranking No. 20, according to the latest RPI breakdown by D1Baseball. Auburn is a combined 13-0 against Quad 3 and Quad 4 teams, and is 7-3 against Quad 2 teams. However, their most impressive feat thus far is their success against Quad 1 teams. Auburn has 13 wins against the nation's toughest teams, a higher total than several teams joining Auburn in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll top 10, including UCLA, Georgia, Texas A&M, Oregon State, Kansas, and Coastal Carolina.
The final week of games will give Auburn four more chances to earn another Quad 1 win beginning Tuesday at Jax State. The Gamecocks check in at No. 31 in the latest RPI with 40 wins and coming off a series win at home against Kennesaw State, and an 18-6 mark against nonconference opponents. The Tigers will then welcome No. 5 Georgia to Plainsman Park for the final three-game series of the season. The Bulldogs wrapped up the SEC regular-season crown over the weekend after building a 4 1/2 game lead over Texas and Texas A&M, and hold a five-game lead over Auburn and Alabama heading into the weekend series on the Plains.
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Auburn baseball notebook – May 11
Week at a Glance
Overall: 35-15
Last Week: 3-1
SEC: 16-11
Non-Conference: 19-4
Streak: W2
Last Week's Results:
Tuesday at UAB: W, 10-2
Thursday at No. 10 Mississippi State: L, 3-10
Friday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 5-4
Saturday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 13-2 (7)
This Week’s Schedule:
Tuesday at No. 24 Jacksonville State: 6 p.m.
Thursday vs. No. 4 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Friday vs. No. 4 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. No. 4 Georgia: 2 p.m.
Players of the Week
Chris Rembert – So. – IF – Pensacola, Fla.
Week 13: 4 GP/GS, .438/.500/.625, 7-for-16, 7 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB
at Miss. State: 3 GP/GS, .417/.462/.667, 5-for-12, 3 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB
Turned in multiple hits in three of four games last week, leading the team with seven hits and seven runs.
Went 2-for-4 and scored a career high four runs at UAB.
Led the team with five RBI in the series at Mississippi State.
Drove in the team’s second and third runs in the third and fifth innings of the middle game in Starkville.
Started Auburn’s scoring in the finale with a solo home run in the second inning, his first since Mar. 24, and later drove in two more runs on a single in the fifth.
Has multiple hits in 11 of the last 17 games, hitting .380 (27-for-71) during the span.
Ethin Bingaman – Fr. – UTL – Redlands, Calif.
Week 13: 4 GP/GS, .400/.471/.600, 6-for-15, 4 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB
at Miss. State: 3 GP/GS, .417/.417/.667, 5-for-12, 3 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB
Collected multiple hits and drove in a combined three runs in the two wins at Mississippi State.
Drove in the team’s fourth run of the middle game with a two-out single in the fifth inning.
Hit a two-run home run to extend Auburn’s lead to 8-0 in the fifth inning of the finale.
Leads Auburn and SEC freshmen while ranking tied for fifth in the league with 27 RBI in conference play.
His seven home runs are also tied for the most among SEC freshmen in league play.
Leads Auburn with a .394 average (26-for-66) to go along with 20 runs, six homers and 23 RBI during the team’s six-series win streak.
Pitchers of the Week
Alex Petrovic – R-So. – RHP – Cypress, Texas
Week 13/at Miss. State: 1 GS, 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K, .286 B/AVG
Earned his fourth win in the last five rubbers games at Mississippi State.
Worked around some traffic in his first two innings, keeping the Bulldogs scoreless while stranding five runners.
Faced the minimum in his next two frames with a clean third and inning-ending double play in the fourth.
Tied for the team lead and for second in the league with eight wins overall.
Leads the team and is tied for third in the league with five SEC wins.
Jackson Sanders – So. – LHP – Opelika, Ala.
Week 13/at Miss. State: 1 APP, 1-0, 4.15 ERA, 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K, .267 B/AVG
Pitched in the final five innings of Auburn’s one-run win in the middle game at Mississippi State.
Earned his fourth win of the season, including his second in relief.
Allowed single runs in the seventh and eighth inning but worked a clean bottom of the ninth inning after Auburn reclaimed its lead in the top half.
Has factored into the decision in all five of his relief appearances, going 2-0 with three saves and a 2.00 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched.
Team Notes
Auburn is the only team in the league to have won its last six series, two more than any other program … the six-SEC-series win streak marks the longest streak in a single season since 1995 (seven) … the program also won six straight SEC series from 2010-11, winning the last five of 2010 and first of 2011 … the series win at Mississippi State was the program’s first in Starkville since 2017 … it marked the third series the season the Tigers won when dropping the first game – vs. Nebraska (Feb. 27-Mar. 1), at Florida (Apr. 16-18), at Mississippi State (May 7-9) … before this season, Auburn’s last series win when losing the first game came at Missouri in 2024 … the Tigers are now 6-1 in rubber games this season and have won five straight, outscoring the opponents 54-14 during the span with three run-rule wins … the one-run win in the middle game marked Auburn’s sixth this season when trailing or tied after the eighth inning … the 11-run win in the finale at Mississippi State was Auburn’s largest in Starkville since defeating the Bulldogs 12-1 in the series finale on Apr. 25, 1993 … it doubled Mississippi State’s previous largest margin of defeat this season (five) … Auburn enters the week tied for fourth in the league with a 16-11 SEC record … the team has the most wins away from home (15) in the league, both road and neutral site, most top-25 wins (14) and most top-10 wins (11) … the Tigers have guaranteed the fourth winning SEC season in the last five years under head coach Butch Thompson … the program is also one of just four in the league that has a chance to win 17 or more league games for the second straight season – Texas (22/15), Arkansas (20/15), Georgia (18/21), Auburn (17/16) … with Petrovic’s eighth win of the season in the series finale, he and Andreas Alvarez become the first pair of Auburn teammates with eight or more win in a season since 2000 – Colter Bean (nine) and Chris Bootcheck (eight) … Bingaman’s homer in the finale was his 10th of the season, becoming the fourth Auburn player with double digit home runs this season … it marks the first time since 2021 the Tigers have had four players with 10 or more home runs … defensively, Auburn did not make an error in 93 total chances over the weekend ... the team turned six double plays during the week, including a season-high three at UAB.
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Auburn Baseball Notebook: Top 5 Tigers with another tough week to end regular season
By Jason Caldwell
Overall: 35-15
Last Week: 3-1
SEC: 16-11
Non-Conference: 19-4
Streak: W2
Last Week's Results:
Tuesday at UAB: W, 10-2
Thursday at No. 10 Mississippi State: L, 3-10
Friday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 5-4
Saturday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 13-2 (7)
This Week's Schedule:
Tuesday at No. 24 Jacksonville State: 6 p.m.
Thursday vs. No. 5 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Friday vs. No. 5 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. No. 5 Georgia: 2 p.m.
Rankings:
#4 (Baseball America)
#5 (D1 Baseball)
#5 (Perfect Game)
Player of the Week:
Could have easily gone with freshman Ethin Bingaman here after he went 6-15 for the week, but Chris Rembert had one of his best weeks of the year for the Tigers. In four games the sophomore was 7-16 at the plate with a home run, seven runs scored and five runs batted in.
Pitcher of the Week:
Jackson Sanders is again the guy for the Tigers. He went 4.1 innings of relief in a win over Mississippi State, allowing two earned runs on four hits. He has factored into the decision in all five of his relief appearances, going 2-0 with three saves and a 2.00 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched.
By The Numbers:
Auburn is the only team in the league to have won its last six series, two more than any other program … the six-SEC-series win streak marks the longest streak in a single season since 1995 (seven) … the program also won six straight SEC series from 2010-11, winning the last five of 2010 and first of 2011 … the series win at Mississippi State was the program's first in Starkville since 2017 … it marked the third series the season the Tigers won when dropping the first game – vs. Nebraska (Feb. 27-Mar. 1), at Florida (Apr. 16-18), at Mississippi State (May 7-9) … before this season, Auburn's last series win when losing the first game came at Missouri in 2024
SEC standings, Week 9
Georgia 21-6 41-11
Texas A&M 16-10 37-12
Texas 16-10 37-12
Alabama 16-11 35-17
Auburn 16-11 35-15
Miss. State 15-12 38-14
Florida 15-12 34-18
Arkansas 15-12 34-18
Ole Miss 14-13 34-18
Tennessee 13-14 34-18
Oklahoma 13-14 31-18
Kentucky 12-15 30-18
Vanderbilt 11-16 29-24
LSU 9-18 29-24
South Carolina 7-20 22-30
Missouri 6-21 23-27
SEC schedule, Week 10 (Thursday-Saturday)
Georgia at Auburn
Arkansas at Kentucky
Miss. State at Texas A&M
South Carolina at Vanderbilt
Ole Miss at Alabama
Missouri at Texas
Florida at LSU
Tennessee at Oklahoma
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Auburn Consensus Top-5 in Rankings After Latest SEC Series Win
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
Though the Auburn Tigers took a little bit of time to get up to speed in this baseball season, Butch Thompson’s squad has found its path in a big way over the past few months. On Saturday, a 13-2 victory over the 10th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs cemented a sixth-straight SEC series win for the Tigers, and ranking committees are taking notice.
So, after a 10-3 loss to the Bulldogs, followed by two straight wins, 5-4 and 13-2, and a midweek 10-2 win over UAB to boot, how did the Tigers fare in this week’s rankings? Auburn Tigers on SI takes a look at three major ranking systems and analyzes where Butch Thompson’s squad landed in each.
Baseball America: No. 4 (previously No. 6)
The Tigers broke out of a two-week dormant phase this week, at least in the eyes of Baseball America, which finally moved Auburn above Georgia after weeks of effort from both squads. Mississippi State fell just two spots, from No. 10 to No. 12, a testament to just how good the Tigers have been playing.
This is the first time this season that the Tigers have cracked the top five in the eyes of Baseball America, which is a major testament to just how well Butch Thompson’s squad has come together against top opponents in recent weeks.
https://twitter.com/BaseballAmerica/status/2053807263127650663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2053807263127650663%7Ctwgr%5E77cda7147864be1605bb681ec86be1ae3c8c68c8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Fbaseball%2Fauburn-consensus-top-5-rankings-latest-sec-series-win
Perfect Game: No. 5 (previously No. 7)
The Tigers made another two-rank jump this week in the eyes of Perfect Game, which, like Baseball America, did not move the Tigers at all in last week’s rankings. Mississippi State was punished much more severely for its losses this weekend, though, perhaps due to the Tigers’ series-ending mercy rule victory.
Interestingly, Perfect Game, unlike Baseball America, did not rank the Tigers above the Georgia Bulldogs this week, meaning the Tigers’ upcoming series against the Bulldogs will have immense implications for the future ranking of both teams.
https://twitter.com/PerfectGameUSA/status/2053854044037214664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2053854044037214664%7Ctwgr%5E77cda7147864be1605bb681ec86be1ae3c8c68c8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Fbaseball%2Fauburn-consensus-top-5-rankings-latest-sec-series-win
D1 Baseball: No. 5 (previously No. 8)
D1 Baseball has been much more hesitant to give the Tigers their flowers this season, but a dominant series victory against a group that they had ranked as the No. 10 team in the country is quite hard to ignore. The Bulldogs, for comparison, dropped to 13th in this week’s rankings, falling as many spots as the Tigers gained.
D1 Baseball has punished Auburn quite severely for being swept by Alabama back in March, and even had the Tigers ranked as the 11th-best team in the country entering week 10. However, they seem to have seen the light that Butch Thompson is shining on the Plains, and they seem fully bought in to what the Tigers have in store.
The Tigers certainly still have much to prove as they make a push to host part of this year’s NCAA tournament, and their final week of play will certainly test everything that they have put together throughout the season. Auburn is slated to play Georgia, which outranks the Tigers in two of the three ranking systems, so this weekend should have massive implications on both teams’ eventual rankings.
First, the Tigers will head to Jacksonville to take on Jax State in a midweek matchup on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT, before returning home to host the Bulldogs in what will be their final games of the regular season.
Play between the Tigers and Bulldogs will start on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT, before heading to games two and three on Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
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No. 4 Auburn wraps up road trip at No. 24 Jacksonville State
By Noelle Iglesias
Wrapping up its eight-game road trip, No. 4 Auburn (35-15) travels to No. 24 Jacksonville (40-11) to take on the Gamecocks Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT at Jim Case Stadium.
The game will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. It will also be broadcast digitally on ESPN+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday – Jr. LHP Griffin Graves (2-0, 4.66) vs. Jr. RHP Ryan Geraghty (1-1, 6.37)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn enters the week with six straight SEC series wins in a single season for the first time since 1995, marking two more consecutive series wins than anyone else in the league.
The Tigers’ two opponents this week - Jacksonville State and Georgia - are two of the seven teams in the country with 40 or more wins.
Auburn is 14-12 against ranked team this season, good for the most ranked wins in the league, and are 8-7 against ranked teams away from home.
The team has won 15 games away from home - 10-7 away, 5-0 neutral - also good for the most road and neutral site wins in the league.
The Tigers are 32-1 when outhitting the opponent this season and 136-17 in the last five years.
The team is also 25-2 when scoring six or more runs this season and 147-29 in the last five years.
Ethin Bingaman was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season.
This season’s previous meeting between Auburn and Jacksonville State marked Auburn’s largest margin of defeat (11) of the year.
The Tigers have allowed more than five runs just twice in the last 18 games (13-5) dating back to the loss vs. Jacksonville State.
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State enters the week as one of seven teams in the country with a 40-11 overall record and has clinched at least a share of the C-USA title with a 22-5 league mark.
Offensively, the Gamecocks are hitting .294 as a team with 368 runs on 487 hits, including 99 doubles, 12 triples and four homers. Jaxon Pate leads the team with a .360 average, while Grayson Ashe leads the way with 53 RBI and is tied with Caleb Johnson for the team lead with seven homers.
On the mound, Jacksonville State ranks third in the country with a 3.40 ERA and is also top 10 in hits allowed per 9.0 innings (6.95), shutouts (six) and WHIP (1.26). Tuesday starter Ryan Geraghty will make his third start of the season, including his second against Auburn, and is 1-1 with a 6.37 ERA.
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Bingaman delivering for Top 5 baseball Tigers in freshman season
By Jason Caldwell
One of the top players in the country coming out of powerhouse Corona (California) High School, Ethin Bingaman was projected to be more of a pitcher than position player because of his mid 90's fastball and overhand breaking ball. A 20th round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks after making it known he was heading to Auburn, Bingaman has made a huge impact with the No. 4 Tigers (35-15), but not as a pitcher.
Finding a home at first base, the 5-11, 201-pounder has showcased a strong glove and a consistent bat in the middle of the Auburn lineup. Starting 43 games this season, Bingaman is batting .331 on the year with 10 home runs, 36 runs batted in and he has also drawn 24 walks. This week he was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season after going 5-12 with three runs scored, three RBI and a home run. It's an approach that coach Gabe Gross has seen from the fall and it has only continued to develop throughout this year.
"From a swing standpoint, he can repeat the same thing over and over again," Gross said. "He's inside the ball and through the ball. He uses both sides of the field and creates an inside path. The swing is really short.
"I think more than anything else, it's between his ears. He thinks he's really good, and he is. But there's kind of an innate confidence about him. He believes he's going to hit. He believes he's going to succeed. That helps you get through some times when you're not hitting. The swing side is one thing, but I think between the ears is what separates him."
Signed as a two-way player but probably more of a pitcher, Bingaman saw action on the mound and in the field in the fall. With the way he has swung the bat and played defensively this season, he has quickly come around to the idea of being a position player for this team.
"It has been crazy," Bingaman said. "Through high school I was a two-way player. Get here and two-way is pretty tough. I do it all fall and have a great time doing it. It works out that I'm hitting and I have loved it. I miss pitching a little bit, but I love hitting."
That has shown up as Bingaman has gotten even better in SEC play. Batting .326 in the best league in the country, he has seven of his 10 home runs against league foes and leads the team with 27 RBI.
"I would probably say it's the mental part of it," he said of his adjustment throughout the year. Not stressing about 'I have to get a hit here.' Just calming down and swinging the bat hard. That's one adjustment and it seems really simple, but that's what I have done."
A player who did those same types of things last season as a true freshman, Chase Fralick said it has been fun to watch Bingaman this season and he believes more big things are ahead for the talented first-year player.
"It's incredible," Fralick said. "He has kept his head down all year. He's only gotten better as the year has gone along. He's doing an amazing job at controlling what he can control.
"He's almost better in bigger moments. He really performs when the spotlight is on him. That just comes from growing up and playing high level high school baseball and summer ball. He's been around a lot of really good players. He controls his emotions and stays within the moment."
Bingaman and the Tigers finish off the non-conference regular season schedule on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. when they face off against Jacksonville State on the road. The Gamecocks wrapped up the regular season crown in Conference USA over the weekend and come into Tuesday night's game with a record of 40-11 overall and 22-5 in league play.
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Bingaman earns third SEC Freshman of the Week honor
After helping lead No. 4 Auburn to its sixth straight SEC series win for the first time since 1995, Ethin Bingaman has been named the Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
It marks the third time this season Bingaman has earned the weekly award. In 13 weeks of competition, his honor marks the ninth by an Auburn player this season.
- Ethin Bingaman: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (Feb. 23)
- Mason McCraine: SEC Freshman of the Week (Mar. 2)
- Jackson Sanders: SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 9)
- Jake Marciano: SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 16)
- Alex Petrovic: SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Apr. 13)
- Mason McCraien: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (Apr. 20)
- Eric Guevara: SEC Player of the Week (Apr. 27)
- Ethin Bingaman: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (Apr. 27)
- Ethin Bingaman: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (May 11)
Helping the Tigers to their first series win in Starkville since 2017, Bingaman went 5-for-12 with three runs, a homer and three RBI at Mississippi State. He collected multiple hits and drove in all three of his runs in the two wins against the Bulldogs.
The Redlands, California, native drove in Auburn’s fourth run of the middle game on a two-out RBI single and extended the team’s lead in the finale to 8-0 with a two-run home run to cap off the five-run fifth. The home run was his 10th of the season.
During Auburn’s six series win streak, Bingaman leads the team with a .394 average (26-for-66) to go along with 20 runs, six homers and 23 RBI.
He leads Auburn and SEC freshmen while ranking tied for fifth in the league with 27 RBI in conference play, and his seven home runs in league play are also tied for the most among SEC freshmen.
Bingaman and the Tigers wrap up the regular season with four games this week, beginning with a road matchup at Jacksonville State (40-11, 22-5 C-USA) Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT before hosting No. 5 Georgia (41-11, 21-6) Thursday through Saturday.
Where does Auburn baseball stand in the latest RPI with one week left?:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/baseball/2026/05/11/auburn-baseball-rpi-ranking-final-week-ncaa/90026473007/
Auburn baseball notebook – May 11:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/11/auburn-baseball-notebook-may-11
Auburn Baseball Notebook: Top 5 Tigers with another tough week to end regular season:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-baseball-is-a-consensus-top-5-team-heading-into-the-final-week-of-the-regular-season-284934829/
Auburn Consensus Top-5 in Rankings After Latest SEC Series Win:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/baseball/auburn-consensus-top-5-rankings-latest-sec-series-win
No. 4 Auburn wraps up road trip at No. 24 Jacksonville State:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/11/no-4-auburn-wraps-up-road-trip-at-no-24-jacksonville-state
Bingaman delivering for Top 5 baseball Tigers in freshman season:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/ethin-bingaman-has-been-one-of-the-most-consistent-hitters-for-auburn-baseball-this-season-284964804/
Bingaman earns third SEC Freshman of the Week honor:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/05/11/bingaman-earns-third-sec-freshman-of-the-week-honor
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Where does Auburn baseball stand in the latest RPI with one week left?
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The Auburn Tigers made a statement over the weekend by taking two of three games from the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road to improve their SEC record to 16-10 with one series remaining.
There was zero doubt that Auburn would be a regional host for the upcoming NCAA Baseball tournament entering last weekend; however, they needed a strong showing in Starkville to increase their chances of becoming a national seed and to lock down home-field advantage in both the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Super Regionals for the second-straight season. So, did they accomplish their goal? Regional announcements are still two weeks away from being revealed, but the Tigers are in a great spot to lock down a national seed by checking in at No. 3 in the RPI rankings ahead of the final week of regular-season play.
Auburn holds the nation's toughest schedule, with its non-conference strength-of-schedule ranking No. 20, according to the latest RPI breakdown by D1Baseball. Auburn is a combined 13-0 against Quad 3 and Quad 4 teams, and is 7-3 against Quad 2 teams. However, their most impressive feat thus far is their success against Quad 1 teams. Auburn has 13 wins against the nation's toughest teams, a higher total than several teams joining Auburn in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll top 10, including UCLA, Georgia, Texas A&M, Oregon State, Kansas, and Coastal Carolina.
The final week of games will give Auburn four more chances to earn another Quad 1 win beginning Tuesday at Jax State. The Gamecocks check in at No. 31 in the latest RPI with 40 wins and coming off a series win at home against Kennesaw State, and an 18-6 mark against nonconference opponents. The Tigers will then welcome No. 5 Georgia to Plainsman Park for the final three-game series of the season. The Bulldogs wrapped up the SEC regular-season crown over the weekend after building a 4 1/2 game lead over Texas and Texas A&M, and hold a five-game lead over Auburn and Alabama heading into the weekend series on the Plains.
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Auburn baseball notebook – May 11
Week at a Glance
Overall: 35-15
Last Week: 3-1
SEC: 16-11
Non-Conference: 19-4
Streak: W2
Last Week's Results:
Tuesday at UAB: W, 10-2
Thursday at No. 10 Mississippi State: L, 3-10
Friday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 5-4
Saturday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 13-2 (7)
This Week’s Schedule:
Tuesday at No. 24 Jacksonville State: 6 p.m.
Thursday vs. No. 4 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Friday vs. No. 4 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. No. 4 Georgia: 2 p.m.
Players of the Week
Chris Rembert – So. – IF – Pensacola, Fla.
Week 13: 4 GP/GS, .438/.500/.625, 7-for-16, 7 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB
at Miss. State: 3 GP/GS, .417/.462/.667, 5-for-12, 3 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB
Turned in multiple hits in three of four games last week, leading the team with seven hits and seven runs.
Went 2-for-4 and scored a career high four runs at UAB.
Led the team with five RBI in the series at Mississippi State.
Drove in the team’s second and third runs in the third and fifth innings of the middle game in Starkville.
Started Auburn’s scoring in the finale with a solo home run in the second inning, his first since Mar. 24, and later drove in two more runs on a single in the fifth.
Has multiple hits in 11 of the last 17 games, hitting .380 (27-for-71) during the span.
Ethin Bingaman – Fr. – UTL – Redlands, Calif.
Week 13: 4 GP/GS, .400/.471/.600, 6-for-15, 4 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB
at Miss. State: 3 GP/GS, .417/.417/.667, 5-for-12, 3 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB
Collected multiple hits and drove in a combined three runs in the two wins at Mississippi State.
Drove in the team’s fourth run of the middle game with a two-out single in the fifth inning.
Hit a two-run home run to extend Auburn’s lead to 8-0 in the fifth inning of the finale.
Leads Auburn and SEC freshmen while ranking tied for fifth in the league with 27 RBI in conference play.
His seven home runs are also tied for the most among SEC freshmen in league play.
Leads Auburn with a .394 average (26-for-66) to go along with 20 runs, six homers and 23 RBI during the team’s six-series win streak.
Pitchers of the Week
Alex Petrovic – R-So. – RHP – Cypress, Texas
Week 13/at Miss. State: 1 GS, 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K, .286 B/AVG
Earned his fourth win in the last five rubbers games at Mississippi State.
Worked around some traffic in his first two innings, keeping the Bulldogs scoreless while stranding five runners.
Faced the minimum in his next two frames with a clean third and inning-ending double play in the fourth.
Tied for the team lead and for second in the league with eight wins overall.
Leads the team and is tied for third in the league with five SEC wins.
Jackson Sanders – So. – LHP – Opelika, Ala.
Week 13/at Miss. State: 1 APP, 1-0, 4.15 ERA, 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K, .267 B/AVG
Pitched in the final five innings of Auburn’s one-run win in the middle game at Mississippi State.
Earned his fourth win of the season, including his second in relief.
Allowed single runs in the seventh and eighth inning but worked a clean bottom of the ninth inning after Auburn reclaimed its lead in the top half.
Has factored into the decision in all five of his relief appearances, going 2-0 with three saves and a 2.00 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched.
Team Notes
Auburn is the only team in the league to have won its last six series, two more than any other program … the six-SEC-series win streak marks the longest streak in a single season since 1995 (seven) … the program also won six straight SEC series from 2010-11, winning the last five of 2010 and first of 2011 … the series win at Mississippi State was the program’s first in Starkville since 2017 … it marked the third series the season the Tigers won when dropping the first game – vs. Nebraska (Feb. 27-Mar. 1), at Florida (Apr. 16-18), at Mississippi State (May 7-9) … before this season, Auburn’s last series win when losing the first game came at Missouri in 2024 … the Tigers are now 6-1 in rubber games this season and have won five straight, outscoring the opponents 54-14 during the span with three run-rule wins … the one-run win in the middle game marked Auburn’s sixth this season when trailing or tied after the eighth inning … the 11-run win in the finale at Mississippi State was Auburn’s largest in Starkville since defeating the Bulldogs 12-1 in the series finale on Apr. 25, 1993 … it doubled Mississippi State’s previous largest margin of defeat this season (five) … Auburn enters the week tied for fourth in the league with a 16-11 SEC record … the team has the most wins away from home (15) in the league, both road and neutral site, most top-25 wins (14) and most top-10 wins (11) … the Tigers have guaranteed the fourth winning SEC season in the last five years under head coach Butch Thompson … the program is also one of just four in the league that has a chance to win 17 or more league games for the second straight season – Texas (22/15), Arkansas (20/15), Georgia (18/21), Auburn (17/16) … with Petrovic’s eighth win of the season in the series finale, he and Andreas Alvarez become the first pair of Auburn teammates with eight or more win in a season since 2000 – Colter Bean (nine) and Chris Bootcheck (eight) … Bingaman’s homer in the finale was his 10th of the season, becoming the fourth Auburn player with double digit home runs this season … it marks the first time since 2021 the Tigers have had four players with 10 or more home runs … defensively, Auburn did not make an error in 93 total chances over the weekend ... the team turned six double plays during the week, including a season-high three at UAB.
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Auburn Baseball Notebook: Top 5 Tigers with another tough week to end regular season
By Jason Caldwell
Overall: 35-15
Last Week: 3-1
SEC: 16-11
Non-Conference: 19-4
Streak: W2
Last Week's Results:
Tuesday at UAB: W, 10-2
Thursday at No. 10 Mississippi State: L, 3-10
Friday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 5-4
Saturday at No. 10 Mississippi State: W, 13-2 (7)
This Week's Schedule:
Tuesday at No. 24 Jacksonville State: 6 p.m.
Thursday vs. No. 5 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Friday vs. No. 5 Georgia: 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. No. 5 Georgia: 2 p.m.
Rankings:
#4 (Baseball America)
#5 (D1 Baseball)
#5 (Perfect Game)
Player of the Week:
Could have easily gone with freshman Ethin Bingaman here after he went 6-15 for the week, but Chris Rembert had one of his best weeks of the year for the Tigers. In four games the sophomore was 7-16 at the plate with a home run, seven runs scored and five runs batted in.
Pitcher of the Week:
Jackson Sanders is again the guy for the Tigers. He went 4.1 innings of relief in a win over Mississippi State, allowing two earned runs on four hits. He has factored into the decision in all five of his relief appearances, going 2-0 with three saves and a 2.00 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched.
By The Numbers:
Auburn is the only team in the league to have won its last six series, two more than any other program … the six-SEC-series win streak marks the longest streak in a single season since 1995 (seven) … the program also won six straight SEC series from 2010-11, winning the last five of 2010 and first of 2011 … the series win at Mississippi State was the program's first in Starkville since 2017 … it marked the third series the season the Tigers won when dropping the first game – vs. Nebraska (Feb. 27-Mar. 1), at Florida (Apr. 16-18), at Mississippi State (May 7-9) … before this season, Auburn's last series win when losing the first game came at Missouri in 2024
SEC standings, Week 9
Georgia 21-6 41-11
Texas A&M 16-10 37-12
Texas 16-10 37-12
Alabama 16-11 35-17
Auburn 16-11 35-15
Miss. State 15-12 38-14
Florida 15-12 34-18
Arkansas 15-12 34-18
Ole Miss 14-13 34-18
Tennessee 13-14 34-18
Oklahoma 13-14 31-18
Kentucky 12-15 30-18
Vanderbilt 11-16 29-24
LSU 9-18 29-24
South Carolina 7-20 22-30
Missouri 6-21 23-27
SEC schedule, Week 10 (Thursday-Saturday)
Georgia at Auburn
Arkansas at Kentucky
Miss. State at Texas A&M
South Carolina at Vanderbilt
Ole Miss at Alabama
Missouri at Texas
Florida at LSU
Tennessee at Oklahoma
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Auburn Consensus Top-5 in Rankings After Latest SEC Series Win
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
Though the Auburn Tigers took a little bit of time to get up to speed in this baseball season, Butch Thompson’s squad has found its path in a big way over the past few months. On Saturday, a 13-2 victory over the 10th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs cemented a sixth-straight SEC series win for the Tigers, and ranking committees are taking notice.
So, after a 10-3 loss to the Bulldogs, followed by two straight wins, 5-4 and 13-2, and a midweek 10-2 win over UAB to boot, how did the Tigers fare in this week’s rankings? Auburn Tigers on SI takes a look at three major ranking systems and analyzes where Butch Thompson’s squad landed in each.
Baseball America: No. 4 (previously No. 6)
The Tigers broke out of a two-week dormant phase this week, at least in the eyes of Baseball America, which finally moved Auburn above Georgia after weeks of effort from both squads. Mississippi State fell just two spots, from No. 10 to No. 12, a testament to just how good the Tigers have been playing.
This is the first time this season that the Tigers have cracked the top five in the eyes of Baseball America, which is a major testament to just how well Butch Thompson’s squad has come together against top opponents in recent weeks.
https://twitter.com/BaseballAmerica/status/2053807263127650663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2053807263127650663%7Ctwgr%5E77cda7147864be1605bb681ec86be1ae3c8c68c8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Fbaseball%2Fauburn-consensus-top-5-rankings-latest-sec-series-win
Perfect Game: No. 5 (previously No. 7)
The Tigers made another two-rank jump this week in the eyes of Perfect Game, which, like Baseball America, did not move the Tigers at all in last week’s rankings. Mississippi State was punished much more severely for its losses this weekend, though, perhaps due to the Tigers’ series-ending mercy rule victory.
Interestingly, Perfect Game, unlike Baseball America, did not rank the Tigers above the Georgia Bulldogs this week, meaning the Tigers’ upcoming series against the Bulldogs will have immense implications for the future ranking of both teams.
https://twitter.com/PerfectGameUSA/status/2053854044037214664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2053854044037214664%7Ctwgr%5E77cda7147864be1605bb681ec86be1ae3c8c68c8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Fbaseball%2Fauburn-consensus-top-5-rankings-latest-sec-series-win
D1 Baseball: No. 5 (previously No. 8)
D1 Baseball has been much more hesitant to give the Tigers their flowers this season, but a dominant series victory against a group that they had ranked as the No. 10 team in the country is quite hard to ignore. The Bulldogs, for comparison, dropped to 13th in this week’s rankings, falling as many spots as the Tigers gained.
D1 Baseball has punished Auburn quite severely for being swept by Alabama back in March, and even had the Tigers ranked as the 11th-best team in the country entering week 10. However, they seem to have seen the light that Butch Thompson is shining on the Plains, and they seem fully bought in to what the Tigers have in store.
The Tigers certainly still have much to prove as they make a push to host part of this year’s NCAA tournament, and their final week of play will certainly test everything that they have put together throughout the season. Auburn is slated to play Georgia, which outranks the Tigers in two of the three ranking systems, so this weekend should have massive implications on both teams’ eventual rankings.
First, the Tigers will head to Jacksonville to take on Jax State in a midweek matchup on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT, before returning home to host the Bulldogs in what will be their final games of the regular season.
Play between the Tigers and Bulldogs will start on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT, before heading to games two and three on Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
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No. 4 Auburn wraps up road trip at No. 24 Jacksonville State
By Noelle Iglesias
Wrapping up its eight-game road trip, No. 4 Auburn (35-15) travels to No. 24 Jacksonville (40-11) to take on the Gamecocks Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT at Jim Case Stadium.
The game will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM. It will also be broadcast digitally on ESPN+.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday – Jr. LHP Griffin Graves (2-0, 4.66) vs. Jr. RHP Ryan Geraghty (1-1, 6.37)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn enters the week with six straight SEC series wins in a single season for the first time since 1995, marking two more consecutive series wins than anyone else in the league.
The Tigers’ two opponents this week - Jacksonville State and Georgia - are two of the seven teams in the country with 40 or more wins.
Auburn is 14-12 against ranked team this season, good for the most ranked wins in the league, and are 8-7 against ranked teams away from home.
The team has won 15 games away from home - 10-7 away, 5-0 neutral - also good for the most road and neutral site wins in the league.
The Tigers are 32-1 when outhitting the opponent this season and 136-17 in the last five years.
The team is also 25-2 when scoring six or more runs this season and 147-29 in the last five years.
Ethin Bingaman was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season.
This season’s previous meeting between Auburn and Jacksonville State marked Auburn’s largest margin of defeat (11) of the year.
The Tigers have allowed more than five runs just twice in the last 18 games (13-5) dating back to the loss vs. Jacksonville State.
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State enters the week as one of seven teams in the country with a 40-11 overall record and has clinched at least a share of the C-USA title with a 22-5 league mark.
Offensively, the Gamecocks are hitting .294 as a team with 368 runs on 487 hits, including 99 doubles, 12 triples and four homers. Jaxon Pate leads the team with a .360 average, while Grayson Ashe leads the way with 53 RBI and is tied with Caleb Johnson for the team lead with seven homers.
On the mound, Jacksonville State ranks third in the country with a 3.40 ERA and is also top 10 in hits allowed per 9.0 innings (6.95), shutouts (six) and WHIP (1.26). Tuesday starter Ryan Geraghty will make his third start of the season, including his second against Auburn, and is 1-1 with a 6.37 ERA.
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Bingaman delivering for Top 5 baseball Tigers in freshman season
By Jason Caldwell
One of the top players in the country coming out of powerhouse Corona (California) High School, Ethin Bingaman was projected to be more of a pitcher than position player because of his mid 90's fastball and overhand breaking ball. A 20th round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks after making it known he was heading to Auburn, Bingaman has made a huge impact with the No. 4 Tigers (35-15), but not as a pitcher.
Finding a home at first base, the 5-11, 201-pounder has showcased a strong glove and a consistent bat in the middle of the Auburn lineup. Starting 43 games this season, Bingaman is batting .331 on the year with 10 home runs, 36 runs batted in and he has also drawn 24 walks. This week he was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season after going 5-12 with three runs scored, three RBI and a home run. It's an approach that coach Gabe Gross has seen from the fall and it has only continued to develop throughout this year.
"From a swing standpoint, he can repeat the same thing over and over again," Gross said. "He's inside the ball and through the ball. He uses both sides of the field and creates an inside path. The swing is really short.
"I think more than anything else, it's between his ears. He thinks he's really good, and he is. But there's kind of an innate confidence about him. He believes he's going to hit. He believes he's going to succeed. That helps you get through some times when you're not hitting. The swing side is one thing, but I think between the ears is what separates him."
Signed as a two-way player but probably more of a pitcher, Bingaman saw action on the mound and in the field in the fall. With the way he has swung the bat and played defensively this season, he has quickly come around to the idea of being a position player for this team.
"It has been crazy," Bingaman said. "Through high school I was a two-way player. Get here and two-way is pretty tough. I do it all fall and have a great time doing it. It works out that I'm hitting and I have loved it. I miss pitching a little bit, but I love hitting."
That has shown up as Bingaman has gotten even better in SEC play. Batting .326 in the best league in the country, he has seven of his 10 home runs against league foes and leads the team with 27 RBI.
"I would probably say it's the mental part of it," he said of his adjustment throughout the year. Not stressing about 'I have to get a hit here.' Just calming down and swinging the bat hard. That's one adjustment and it seems really simple, but that's what I have done."
A player who did those same types of things last season as a true freshman, Chase Fralick said it has been fun to watch Bingaman this season and he believes more big things are ahead for the talented first-year player.
"It's incredible," Fralick said. "He has kept his head down all year. He's only gotten better as the year has gone along. He's doing an amazing job at controlling what he can control.
"He's almost better in bigger moments. He really performs when the spotlight is on him. That just comes from growing up and playing high level high school baseball and summer ball. He's been around a lot of really good players. He controls his emotions and stays within the moment."
Bingaman and the Tigers finish off the non-conference regular season schedule on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. when they face off against Jacksonville State on the road. The Gamecocks wrapped up the regular season crown in Conference USA over the weekend and come into Tuesday night's game with a record of 40-11 overall and 22-5 in league play.
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Bingaman earns third SEC Freshman of the Week honor
After helping lead No. 4 Auburn to its sixth straight SEC series win for the first time since 1995, Ethin Bingaman has been named the Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
It marks the third time this season Bingaman has earned the weekly award. In 13 weeks of competition, his honor marks the ninth by an Auburn player this season.
- Ethin Bingaman: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (Feb. 23)
- Mason McCraine: SEC Freshman of the Week (Mar. 2)
- Jackson Sanders: SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 9)
- Jake Marciano: SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 16)
- Alex Petrovic: SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (Apr. 13)
- Mason McCraien: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (Apr. 20)
- Eric Guevara: SEC Player of the Week (Apr. 27)
- Ethin Bingaman: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (Apr. 27)
- Ethin Bingaman: SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (May 11)
Helping the Tigers to their first series win in Starkville since 2017, Bingaman went 5-for-12 with three runs, a homer and three RBI at Mississippi State. He collected multiple hits and drove in all three of his runs in the two wins against the Bulldogs.
The Redlands, California, native drove in Auburn’s fourth run of the middle game on a two-out RBI single and extended the team’s lead in the finale to 8-0 with a two-run home run to cap off the five-run fifth. The home run was his 10th of the season.
During Auburn’s six series win streak, Bingaman leads the team with a .394 average (26-for-66) to go along with 20 runs, six homers and 23 RBI.
He leads Auburn and SEC freshmen while ranking tied for fifth in the league with 27 RBI in conference play, and his seven home runs in league play are also tied for the most among SEC freshmen.
Bingaman and the Tigers wrap up the regular season with four games this week, beginning with a road matchup at Jacksonville State (40-11, 22-5 C-USA) Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT before hosting No. 5 Georgia (41-11, 21-6) Thursday through Saturday.
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