Carson Myers made a statement under the bright lights of postseason baseball, delivering a masterclass on the mound that not only set the tone for Auburn’s NCAA Regional campaign but also left fans, teammates, and scouts in awe. With a dominating performance that silenced the Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) bats from the first pitch to his final out, Myers propelled Auburn to a decisive 6-0 victory in their regional opener Friday night.
The pressure of postseason play has a unique way of revealing who is truly built for the big stage, and Myers showed without a shadow of a doubt that he belongs in that conversation. Coming into the game, Auburn knew the importance of securing a win in the opening round of the regional bracket. The stakes were high, and a strong start was essential to maintaining momentum in a double-elimination format. Auburn turned to its ace, and he delivered in dominant fashion.
From the very first inning, it was evident that Myers had his best stuff. He pounded the strike zone with precision, mixing in a devastating slider with a fastball that hovered in the low-to-mid 90s. CCSU hitters looked overmatched, swinging through pitches and struggling to make solid contact. By the end of the third inning, Myers had already racked up five strikeouts, and it was clear he was in a rhythm that would be difficult to break.
But it wasn’t just the strikeouts that told the story. Myers commanded the game with poise and purpose, working efficiently and keeping his defense involved. He trusted his stuff, never flinching even when CCSU managed to put runners aboard. His tempo was methodical but never slow, and he consistently worked ahead in the count, keeping CCSU hitters guessing.
Auburn’s offense, meanwhile, gave Myers early support. In the bottom of the second inning, the Tigers capitalized on a leadoff single and a pair of well-placed bunts to put runners in scoring position. A clutch two-out single to left field broke the ice, plating the game’s first run. Two batters later, another RBI single made it 2-0. While the lead wasn’t overwhelming, it was more than enough with the way Myers was throwing.
The middle innings showcased Myers at his sharpest. In the fourth and fifth frames, he faced the minimum, using a combination of sharp movement and changing speeds to keep CCSU completely off balance. Auburn’s defense, to its credit, was flawless behind him, making several routine but essential plays that prevented any spark from igniting for the Blue Devils. Even when CCSU managed to get a man aboard in the sixth, Myers responded with a double-play ball, extinguishing the threat in just one pitch.
By the time the seventh inning rolled around, CCSU looked completely deflated. Myers was not just pitching a gem — he was in total command, as if he were writing the script in real time. Auburn’s offense added to the cushion with a three-run inning, sparked by a two-run double that rattled off the left field wall and ignited the crowd. That hit gave Auburn a 5-0 advantage, and by then, the result felt inevitable.
It’s difficult to quantify the value of a dominant pitching performance in the postseason, but Myers made it clear with every inning why he’s one of the most dependable arms in the country. He finished the night with eight scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, walking none, and striking out nine. Perhaps most impressively, he needed just 98 pitches to get through those eight frames, an incredible feat of efficiency and command in a high-stakes environment.
Auburn head coach Butch Thompson praised Myers after the game, calling it “one of the best postseason performances I’ve seen in my time here.” He added, “Carson just had complete control of the game. He attacked hitters, he didn’t let any moment get too big, and he gave our team all the confidence in the world. That’s what a true leader on the mound looks like.”
For Myers, the performance was about executing the game plan and staying locked in. “I just tried to keep it simple,” Myers said. “Get ahead, trust my defense, and pitch to contact. When I needed a strikeout, I knew I had the stuff to get it. But honestly, it was about staying focused one pitch at a time. I didn’t want to let the moment get too big.”
His teammates echoed the sentiment. “When Carson’s on the mound, we feel like we can beat anybody,” said Auburn catcher Cole Foster. “He was lights out tonight, just painting corners and getting weak contact all night. It was fun to be behind the plate for a performance like that.”
The win gave Auburn a major boost as they moved to the winner’s bracket in their regional, placing them just one victory away from a potential spot in the regional final. It also allowed the Tigers to save some bullpen arms, which could prove invaluable in the days to come. Myers’ ability to go deep into the game with such minimal stress on his pitch count meant Auburn didn’t have to warm up any relievers until the ninth inning — a luxury in tournament baseball.
Meanwhile, CCSU now faces an uphill battle, dropping into the loser’s bracket where elimination looms with each game. While they came into the matchup as an underdog, CCSU had hoped to catch Auburn off guard with some aggressive base running and timely hitting. But Myers shut the door on any such possibility, allowing them no room to breathe.
As the postseason continues, Auburn fans will undoubtedly look back at this game as a turning point — the moment when the Tigers truly looked the part of a team built for Omaha. While plenty of work remains to be done, performances like Myers’ give this Auburn team a legitimate chance to go the distance.
There’s something special about watching a pitcher completely in sync with his craft — the kind of outing where every pitch has a purpose, and the outcome never seems in doubt. Myers gave Auburn just that. From his stoic demeanor on the mound to his precision in execution, it was a performance that will live in Auburn postseason lore for years to come.
More than just a win, it was a message. Auburn has arrived in the tournament ready to compete, ready to dominate, and ready to chase down a championship. And at the center of that pursuit, leading the charge with calm confidence and electric talent, is Carson Myers — a pitcher who showed on Friday night that he can carry this team when it matters most.
In a postseason that promises high drama, standout moments, and unforgettable performances, Myers set the bar with one of the most complete pitching efforts seen in this year’s NCAA Tournament. He turned a high-pressure opener into a personal showcase, and in doing so, gave Auburn the perfect launchpad for a deep run.
As the Tigers prepare for their next opponent, they’ll do so with confidence — not only in their talent across the roster, but in the knowledge that they have a true ace at the top of their rotation. For now, Auburn rides the momentum of a shutout victory, a locked-in lineup, and the steady hand of Carson Myers, whose regional-opening brilliance may very well have set the tone for something special.
