McMurray Gives Tigers Late Win in Thrilling Fashion

AUBURN, Ala. — On a crisp spring evening at Plainsman Park, Auburn fans witnessed another heart-stopping finish. In a game that featured momentum swings, clutch performances, and edge-of-your-seat drama, sophomore infielder Carter McMurray delivered the decisive blow, giving Auburn a thrilling 5-4 win over a scrappy Ole Miss squad on Friday night.

It wasn’t a game that Auburn dominated. Far from it. The Tigers had to scratch, claw, and battle for every inch. But in the end, it was McMurray’s clutch two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning that propelled Auburn to a critical victory — a win that could define their late-season surge.

“Big players show up in big moments,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said postgame. “And tonight, Carter was that guy for us.”

Early Innings: A Back-and-Forth Battle

From the first pitch, it was clear this would not be an easy night for either team. Ole Miss came out aggressive, jumping on Auburn starter Mason Williams early. In the top of the second, the Rebels strung together three consecutive hits, including a two-run double from first baseman Tyler Reese to take a 2-0 lead.

Auburn answered immediately in the bottom half. After a leadoff single from Bobby Pierce and a walk to Ike Irish, McMurray laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, moving both runners into scoring position. Freshman phenom Case Simmons then delivered a two-out, two-strike single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2, bringing the crowd to life.

“I just wanted to battle,” Simmons said. “Two strikes, man on second and third — you have to find a way to put the ball in play. That’s Auburn baseball.”

The back-and-forth trend continued into the middle innings. Ole Miss reclaimed the lead in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly, while Auburn tied it again in the fifth on an RBI single from catcher Nate LaRue.

Every time one team seemed poised to take control, the other had an answer.

Mason Williams Battles Through Adversity

Despite the early trouble, Mason Williams showed tremendous grit. The sophomore right-hander didn’t have his sharpest stuff, but he battled through six innings, scattering seven hits while striking out five and walking only one.

Perhaps his biggest moment came in the sixth inning, when Ole Miss loaded the bases with one out. Thompson stuck with his starter, and Williams rewarded his coach’s faith by inducing an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Williams pounded his fist into his glove as he walked off the mound, while the home crowd erupted.

“That’s what we talk about all the time — competing when it’s hard,” Williams said. “I didn’t have my best stuff, but you still have to find a way to get outs.”

Bullpen Shines Under Pressure

With the game tied 3-3 going into the seventh, Thompson turned to his bullpen — and they delivered.

First up was sophomore lefty Brayden Martin, who worked a clean seventh inning, freezing the Ole Miss three-hole hitter with a nasty backdoor slider for a critical strikeout.

In the eighth, after Auburn took a brief 4-3 lead, freshman closer-in-waiting Kellen Reynolds came on — and faced immediate trouble. A bloop single, a stolen base, and a two-out RBI double tied the game once again at 4-4.

But Reynolds, showing poise beyond his years, limited the damage by striking out the next batter looking with a 95-mph fastball painted on the outside corner.

“Kellen’s growing up fast,” pitching coach Tim Hudson said. “You love to see a young guy embrace the pressure instead of folding under it.”

McMurray’s Heroics

With the score tied 4-4 entering the bottom of the eighth, Auburn needed a spark.

LaRue led off with a walk, and after a sacrifice bunt and a flyout, it was McMurray’s turn. The sophomore, who had already made key plays earlier in the game, dug in against Ole Miss reliever Hunter Caldwell.

The at-bat was a battle. McMurray fouled off two tough pitches, worked the count full, and then — on the seventh pitch of the at-bat — laced a sharp single into right field.

LaRue, running hard on contact, slid across home plate just ahead of the tag to give Auburn a 5-4 lead.

The crowd exploded as McMurray pumped his fist emphatically toward the Auburn dugout.

“I was just thinking, ‘Don’t try to do too much,'” McMurray said. “Shorten up, stay through the ball. I knew if I could get something in the outfield, we’d score.”

Ninth Inning Drama

The game was far from over.

In the top of the ninth, Ole Miss refused to go quietly. After a leadoff walk, they sacrificed the runner to second. The tying run was just 180 feet away.

Coach Thompson summoned senior closer Will Cannon from the bullpen, trusting his veteran to secure the final two outs.

Facing the heart of the Rebels’ lineup, Cannon struck out the first batter on three pitches. Then, on a 2-2 count, he got Ole Miss slugger Josh Harris to ground weakly to short.

McMurray fielded it cleanly, fired to first, and the game was over.

Tigers win, 5-4.

Quotes of the Night

Butch Thompson: “This was a culture win. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t perfect, but we stayed together and found a way.”

Carter McMurray: “Moments like that — that’s why you play baseball. That’s why you put in the work.”

Will Cannon: “No better feeling than being the guy on the mound when it ends. That’s what every pitcher dreams about.”

Key Stats

• Carter McMurray: 2-for-3, game-winning RBI.
• Mason Williams: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5 K.
• Auburn Bullpen: 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K, 1 BB.
• Runners in Scoring Position: Auburn 4-for-10, Ole Miss 2-for-9.
• Errors: Auburn 0, Ole Miss 1.

The Big Picture: Auburn’s Playoff Push

The win pushes Auburn’s record to 29-15 overall and 11-9 in SEC play, strengthening their NCAA Regional resume. With just two conference series left before the SEC Tournament, every game matters — and Friday night’s thriller could be a launching pad.

“This time of year, it’s not about who plays the best baseball all the time,” Thompson said. “It’s about who competes the hardest.”

The Tigers are now firmly in the mix for a top-16 national seed, something that looked improbable just six weeks ago after a rocky start to SEC play.

Carter McMurray: An Emerging Star

Friday’s heroics were just the latest in a string of strong performances from Carter McMurray, who has quietly become one of Auburn’s most consistent hitters.

Since the beginning of April, McMurray is hitting over .350, showing a mature approach at the plate and playing solid defense at shortstop.

“He’s been a rock for us,” Thompson said. “You love to see a guy who just keeps getting better every week.”

If Auburn is going to make a deep run in the postseason, they’ll need McMurray to continue being the steadying presence he’s been.

A Win That Meant More

Sometimes, in a long and grinding season, one win feels bigger than the others. Friday night felt like one of those.

It wasn’t just about beating Ole Miss.

It was about finding a way when things weren’t perfect. It was about trusting young players in big moments. It was about toughness, togetherness, and a little bit of magic.

As the Tigers poured out of the dugout to celebrate McMurray’s heroics, you could sense it: this team believes.

And belief, as everyone around Plainsman Park knows, can be a powerful thing.