Auburn Baseball's Winner-Take-All Regional Starting Later Due to Weather Delay

Head coach Butch Thompson and his group will have to wait a little bit longer to keep their season alive in the Auburn Regional.

Auburn baseball is undergoing a weather delay, pushing the game against Milwaukee back three hours. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Make that three of four days for Auburn baseball games with a weather delay in the NCAA Tournament. 

Auburn Athletics revealed that Monday’s winner-take-all game between the Tigers and the Milwaukee Panthers will not begin on time. Instead of an expected 5 p.m. first pitch, the game will begin three hours later at 8 p.m. local time due to a storm front that is approaching the area. 

Run it back ➡️ PLAINSMAN PARK AFTER DARK

Due to a single storm front approaching around 5:30 pm, first pitch for tonight has been pushed back to 8 pm.#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/x6fIt7a1yG

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) June 1, 2026

Head coach Butch Thompson and his team are coming off a long Sunday doubleheader that was filled with rain delays over the course of the day. Despite an expected 2 p.m. start time for their first game, the Tigers ended the two-game stretch just before 1 a.m. local time. 

The game went into the early hours of Monday morning, but the Plainsman crowd remained in the stadium until Auburn got its revenge over Milwaukee, 8-1. Thompson knows how close this team is to rallying from an opening loss to a potential host of a Super Regional. 

 “We’ve got to come out here tomorrow and stay present and keep fighting,” he said. “The boys fought hard all day. We can see the summit, but these guys have to get home.”

On Monday night, Auburn is bringing out all the stops to have an even rowdier crowd. Other Tiger head coaches are giving away 1,000 tickets of their own to bring in more fans and students into the game. Thompson paid for 500 of his own to get an atmosphere similar to The Jungle for men’s basketball games. 

Of those other coaches included football’s Alex Golesh, men’s basketball’s Steven Pearl, softball co-coaches Chris and Kate Malveaux and athletic director Josh Cohen. 

CALLING THE ENTIRE @AUJungle! 🗣️

BT’s taking care of you tonight.

Coach Thompson is paying for the next 500 students to claim a ticket via the link below. WE NEED YOU!

🎟️ » https://t.co/s0cP1pqC7M pic.twitter.com/7BMTZYg7Eg

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) June 1, 2026

If this home crowd plays enough of a factor, then Auburn will be looking for more home fans to call over this upcoming weekend as well, which would have the team facing Ole Miss at Plainsman Park with a berth to the College World Series on the line. 

Due to the four rain delays the Tigers had throughout Sunday, the stadium lowered the price of hot dogs and domestic beers as well. For Monday night, that will remain the case to keep fans full and rowdy for the contest. 

Auburn hasn’t announced a pitcher yet, either, leaving it up for interpretation while the weather delay goes on. Thompson has the option to go back to ace Jake Marciano, who was blown up in the first game against Milwaukee for the most earned runs recorded all season, or a bullpen game. However, if the sophomore is given the ball to start, expect him to look for some payback after Friday. 

The broadcast is expected to remain on ESPNU.