AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — Hunter Elliott pitched 4 1/3 hitless innings and Judd Utermark and Collin Reuter each homered as Mississippi defeated Auburn 6-4 on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park.

Elliott, who entered with a win over Arizona State in his previous start, did not allow a hit but was charged with two earned runs on four walks and a hit batter. He struck out two. Hudson Calhoun, Walker Hooks and the Mississippi bullpen combined to limit the Tigers to four runs over the final 4 2/3 innings.

Mississippi took the lead in the top of the second inning. After Hunter Federico was hit by a pitch and Luke Paino singled, Brayden Randle drove in Federico with a single through the right side for a 1-0 lead. The Rebels doubled the lead in the fourth when Austin Fawley doubled down the left-field line and scored on another RBI single by Randle.

The game turned in the top of the fifth. Mississippi’s Denton Decker singled, and Utermark followed by driving a 2-0 pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run homer, extending the lead to 4-0 on the scoreboard but 6-1 in the actual game after Auburn’s earlier run. Andrew Fawley later doubled in the eighth inning but was stranded.

Auburn had scored its first run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Cade Fralick that plated Brant Carter, who had singled. The Tigers added another in the fifth when Mason McCraine walked, advanced on a single by Eddie Guevara and scored on a single by Cole Rembert. McCraine, the designated hitter, finished 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Mississippi answered in the sixth. Randle walked and Reuter crushed a two-run homer to center field off Auburn reliever LJ Cormier, making it 6-2. Cormier pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run with four strikeouts.

Auburn’s Andreas Alvarez started and took the loss, giving up five earned runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out 10.

The Tigers chipped away in the bottom of the sixth. Carter reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored on McCraine’s double down the left-field line. McCraine then homered to right field in the ninth inning to pull Auburn within 6-4. But Hooks, who had entered in the eighth, retired the side after the homer, striking out two and allowing no hits over two innings.

Mississippi’s defense also contributed. In the second inning, Auburn loaded the bases with one out but Mississippi turned a 4-6-3 double play to escape. The Rebels turned two double plays in the game.

Mississippi improved to 40-21, while Auburn fell to 42-21. The teams combined for 19 hits, with Mississippi collecting 10 and Auburn nine.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Auburn 7, Mississippi 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Auburn a 55.90 percent probability to win, and the Tigers were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5.