Ohio State Baseball Beats Auburn 4-1 in Regional Final to Punch Ticket to Super Regionals for First Time Since 2003

In a game filled with high-stakes tension, timely hitting, and lockdown pitching, Ohio State stunned Auburn 4-1 in the regional final on Sunday night to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time in over two decades. The Buckeyes, long considered a solid program in the Big Ten but rarely a postseason powerhouse, rode a wave of momentum and gutsy performances to take down a host team brimming with SEC pedigree and talent. For Ohio State fans, it was the type of gritty, defiant victory that defines a program and rekindles belief in long-term relevance.

The Buckeyes didn’t need a barrage of offense to win this one. Instead, they relied on efficient at-bats, exceptional pitching, and a defense that refused to yield in the big moments. Starter Trey Carlson delivered the kind of performance that gets remembered forever. The sophomore right-hander, who had been inconsistent throughout the season, turned in a gem on the biggest stage of his career, limiting a potent Auburn lineup to just four hits across seven innings while striking out six and walking only one. Carlson never let the moment grow too big. Time and again, he worked ahead in counts, kept his fastball low in the zone, and trusted his defense to make plays behind him.

Offensively, the Buckeyes did their damage in the middle innings. Auburn starter Carter Wade held the visitors in check through three innings, but the tide began to turn in the fourth. With two outs and a runner on second, Ohio State’s designated hitter Michael Finley slapped a single through the right side, bringing in the game’s first run and shifting momentum squarely in the Buckeyes’ favor. In the fifth, they struck again — this time via the long ball. Junior outfielder Casey Miller turned on a 2-1 fastball and launched a towering shot over the left-field wall, sending the visiting dugout into a frenzy and pushing the score to 3-0.

Auburn responded in the sixth with their lone run of the game. After a leadoff walk, cleanup hitter Bryce Simmons drilled a double into the left-center gap, scoring the runner from first. But Carlson limited the damage, striking out two of the next three batters to escape the inning without allowing the Tigers to close the gap further. It was one of several key moments in which the Buckeyes refused to let the pressure break them.

Ohio State tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth, capitalizing on a throwing error by Auburn shortstop Mason Fields. That error allowed Jack Munroe to reach second with one out, and two batters later, first baseman Nolan Gray laced a single up the middle to drive him home. The hit, while not as dramatic as Miller’s earlier homer, carried the weight of finality. At 4-1, Auburn looked rattled and frustrated, and the Buckeyes smelled blood.

From there, it was all about closing time. Buckeyes closer Elijah Kane entered in the bottom of the eighth and worked a clean inning, then returned for the ninth to face the heart of Auburn’s lineup. He struck out the first batter on a wicked slider, induced a weak grounder to short for the second out, and then got Simmons — Auburn’s biggest power threat — to pop out harmlessly to left field. The game ended with a glove tossed into the air and a dogpile near the mound, Ohio State players celebrating as if they’d just won the College World Series — and for a program with so little recent postseason success, it felt just as monumental.

It’s been a long road back to national relevance for Ohio State baseball. The Buckeyes haven’t reached the Super Regionals since 2003, and they haven’t been to the College World Series since 1967. But under the leadership of third-year head coach Will Hastings, the program has slowly built itself into a contender. Hastings, a former Ohio State assistant who took over after a string of disappointing seasons, has emphasized player development and pitching depth, and both were on full display during this regional run.

More than just tactics, Hastings has instilled belief. “We told these guys all year, ‘Why not us?’” Hastings said after the win. “Why can’t a Big Ten team come into an SEC park and win? Why can’t we be the ones that crash the party? Tonight, our guys answered those questions.”

It wasn’t just Carlson and Kane who made this run possible. The Buckeyes bullpen, often a liability in recent seasons, held up well throughout the weekend, and the lineup showed just enough punch to get the job done. Sophomore shortstop Kyle Trevors was a steadying presence all tournament long, going 6-for-12 at the plate and playing error-free defense. Freshman catcher Marcus Lopez called a masterful game behind the plate and threw out two would-be base stealers in the second inning alone. Every contribution mattered, every moment carried weight.

Auburn, meanwhile, is left to reflect on a season that promised much but delivered frustration in the end. The Tigers came into the regionals with high expectations and a roster stacked with experience and firepower. But the bats went cold at the worst possible time. They scored just six runs across three games and never looked fully comfortable against Ohio State’s mix of velocity and deception. After the loss, head coach Butch Thompson credited the Buckeyes for their performance. “They played fearless baseball,” Thompson said. “They pitched great, played clean defense, and capitalized on mistakes. That’s what winning teams do in June.”

This win doesn’t just move Ohio State into the Super Regionals. It announces their presence on the national stage. With perennial powerhouses like LSU, Arkansas, and Florida drawing most of the attention in the South, and Big Ten programs historically overlooked in baseball’s postseason, the Buckeyes are proving that grit and execution can still outshine reputation.

Their next test will be even tougher. Ohio State will travel to face a top-eight national seed in the Super Regionals, a team that’s likely coming off a dominant showing in their own regional. But after what the Buckeyes just accomplished in Auburn — a hostile environment with a packed house of orange and blue — it’s hard to imagine them being intimidated by what comes next. If anything, they seem to be fueled by being counted out.

“We know people didn’t pick us to win this regional,” Carlson said afterward. “That’s fine. We like being the underdog. We’ve got a chip on our shoulder, and we’re not done yet.”

That mindset — defiant, united, unflinching — may be their greatest asset. In a tournament where one bad inning can send you home, the Buckeyes have shown they’re willing to grind, adapt, and fight for every inch. And if this weekend was any indication, they’re not just happy to be here. They believe they can keep going.

As the team boarded its bus late Sunday night, chants of “O-H!” rang out from a small but vocal group of traveling fans in the parking lot. Players smiled, coaches embraced, and the moment settled in: Ohio State baseball is alive and thriving in June.

And for the first time in 21 years, the road to Omaha runs through Columbus.