While some people ate BBQ and shot fireworks, the Auburn baseball team celebrated Memorial Day by making history. The 13-seeded Tigers, guided by head coach Butch Thompson and all-time single-season home run record holder Bryson Ware will play Ivy League champion Penn on Friday, opening the Auburn Regional at Plainsman Park.

Ware gets his wish of playing more games at Plainsman Park when Auburn hosts Penn, Samford, and Southern Miss. The Tigers are hosting a regional in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. It’s the sixth time Auburn has hosted a regional, with 1978, 1999, 2003, 2010, and 2022 being the other seasons.

Auburn is going to the tournament for the 24th time, and it’s the fifth tournament appearance for the Tigers in the last six seasons under Thompson. Last season, Auburn went to its sixth College World Series and first since the 2019 season.

Whoever wins the Auburn region will play in a super-regional against the winner of the Clemson regional.

On Friday, No. 1 Auburn plays No. 4 seed Penn at tbd from Plainsman Park. Samford plays Southern Miss in the game before Auburn and Penn.