OMAHA | Tanner won’t pitch Sunday, but he could have an even bigger role in the College World Series than he had a week ago.

Auburn’s No. 1 starter has been limited to just short outings the last portion of the season due a recurrence of soreness in his shoulder. He threw 2.0 hitless innings in a start against North Carolina last Monday in the Chapel Hill Regional.

“He’s thrown so much more that we might be able to extend it one more,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “You know, pitch counts is one thing and it’s not everything. How much is exerted in those innings has something to do with it. Whether it’s innings or pitch count, you know, how much traffic are you in—all those things are factors.

“But to me, thus far, it looks like we could be able to squeeze a little bit more out of him if we needed to.”

Jack Owen will start against Mississippi State Sunday, but the plan for Tuesday is not set in stone. Auburn will play either Vanderbilt or Louisville with Bailey Horn the probable starter, at least for now. Burns could be used out of the bullpen, or even start if AU advances to a third game Thursday or Friday.

“I think as early as Tuesday, Game 2, he could be in the mix for the plan, and that’ll all be dependent on who you play, where we stand, how much relief that we used,” Thompson said. “Remember, that day off is kind of big for us, to allow us to potentially get some guys back for Tuesday if we don’t extend them too much.”

Auburn wrapped up its preparations for the MSU game with a practice at Creighton University Saturday evening.

“Tonight is much more like Thursday night on the road in the SEC, that Thursday night practice before you start a series,” Thompson said. “We’re back into talking the last 48 hours about hydration and getting out of the past, don’t think about what you’re doing a month from now, but get in this moment. Our team this entire season has never been in a better place than it is right now. There is no doubt it’s almost time to play ball.”

First pitch at TD Ameritrade Park is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.