MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Auburn University at Montgomery baseball team (1–1) split its season-opening doubleheader against No. 21 Young Harris College (1-1) on Saturday, earning a 6–5 win in the series opener before falling 15–5 in the second game the AUM Baseball Complex. Young Harris was ranked No. 21 by the 2026 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Division II Poll. The two games marked the first contests of the 2026 season for both the Warhawks and the Mountain Lions.
COACH FRANKLIN BUSH COMMENTS
"Blessed with the opportunity to go out and compete today. Opening day is such an interesting scenario, because you try to replicate competition and situations in training but you can't truly replicate the emotion. I thought our guys handled that well from first pitch. We know what the standard looks like from an execution standpoint, and we have to maintain consistency within that standard. We will recover at a championship level, and look forward to another opportunity to compete on Sunday."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One; AUM 6; YHC 5
The Warhawks came out swinging in the bottom of the first, plating three runs to take an early lead. After a pair of Young Harris errors put runners on, Luke Turner singled home the game's first run before a wild pitch and a fielder's choice from Carson McNeill brought in two more to give AUM a 3–0 advantage.
AUM's pitching staff set the tone early, retiring the Mountain Lions in order in the first inning and working around some early baserunners in the second and third. Young Harris answered in the fourth, using a three-run home run from Sam Ward to briefly take a 4–3 lead. AUM responded immediately, as McNeill evened the score with a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning. Both teams went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.
The Warhawks regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Turner delivered again, driving in Tanner Burns with an RBI single to make it 5–4. Young Harris tied the game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly. McNeill launched his second home run of the game to center field to put AUM back in front, 6–5.
AUM's bullpen closed out the win in the ninth to give the Warhawks' a season-opening victory.
Notables
Christopher McNeill delivered a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs, including the go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning.
Luke Turner finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, driving in the Warhawks' first run of the game and later giving AUM the lead with an RBI single in the fifth.
Starting pitcher, Jackson Reed, struck out six over 5.1 innings of work.
Kobe Wiggins got the win on the mound with 2.0 innings of work, recording one hit and no runs.
Drew McCormick allowed just one run in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen, while Kobe Wiggins closed the game with two scoreless innings, striking out two to secure the save.
Game Two; AUM 5; YHC: 15
Young Harris struck first in the third inning, using an RBI single to take an early lead. Auburn Montgomery answered in the bottom half of the frame as Carson McNeill evened the score with a solo home run to center field, his third of the day.
The Mountain Lions broke the game open in the fourth, scoring six runs highlighted by a pair of home runs to build a 7–1 advantage. The Warhawks responded in the bottom of the inning, as Kade Hipp homered to left field and Luke Baseder drove in a run with an RBI walk to cut the deficit to 7–3.
Young Harris continued to build on their lead over the middle innings, capitalizing on wild pitches and timely hits to extend its lead. McNeill picked up his second RBI of the game in the seventh with a run-scoring single, and Auburn Montgomery added a run in the ninth on an RBI reached-on-error to make it 15–5. The Warhawks fell to the Mountain Lions 15-5 to even the series at 1-1.
Notables
Christopher McNeill led the Warhawks offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBIs.
Kyle Hipp added a solo home run in the fourth inning, his first of the season.
Luke Baseder drove in a run with an RBI walk and reached base twice in the contest.
Dom Regira recorded AUM's lone extra-base hit with a double to right-center in the second inning.
Auburn Montgomery was hit by five pitches in the game, with five different players reaching base via HBP.
AUM homered twice in the contest, both solo shots, accounting for two of the team's five runs.
Up Next
The Warhawks will play the final game of the series on Sunday, Feb. 1 at the AUM Baseball Complex with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
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