CLEARWATER, Fla. – After coming up just short in its comeback bid against Pitt, No. 21 Auburn softball (3-1) bounced back for its third shutout victory of opening weekend, topping Indiana to split Saturday's doubleheader at Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Falling behind by six, Auburn scored five unanswered runs to cut Pitt's lead to one, but the Panthers (2-1) left the tying run stranded in the final four innings to claim the 7-8 victory. The Tigers brought the tying run in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings but couldn't find the equalizing hit.
"I'm really proud of how we responded after our first game of the day," said head coach Mickey Dean. "Our young team battled, and this will be a learning experience for them as well as our staff."
Behind a second double-digit pitching performance from junior Maddie Penta, the Tigers bounced back for a 9-0 victory over Indiana (2-1) for Auburn's third shutout of the season.
Penta fanned 11 batters through six innings of work. She scattered a pair of hits, one walk and one hit by pitch as she and the Tigers battled through heavy rain and wind in the latter innings. Shelby Lowe tossed the final inning, fanning two to combined for the shutout.
Runs were at a premium through early innings against Indiana. Nelia Peralta led off the game with a single before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Bri Ellis.
Auburn's 1-0 lead would stand until senior Lindsey Garcia sparked a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Garcia singled to left center before advancing two extra bases thanks to an IU error. KK McCrary drove her home with a single to left field. Coming off her impressive pitching debut, Annabelle Widra showed her prowess at the plate, breaking open the game with a home run to left.
Playing through the rain, Auburn would add five runs all in the seventh inning. Auburn used big hits from Jessie Blaine, Garcia and McCrary to plate runs to pick up RBI. McCrary turned in a multi-RBI performance as she drove in a pair of runs with her double in the seventh before scoring herself on a wild pitch. Garcia closed the contest with a team leading three hits against Indiana's pitching staff.
Trailing after the first inning in game one of the doubleheader, Auburn manufactured a pair of runs off Pitt defensive miscues and aggressive base running. Auburn's lead was short lived as Pitt scored seven of its eight runs in the bottom of the second.
The Tigers answered quickly with two runs in the top of the third with Peralta sparking the rally with an RBI triple before scoring on sacrifice fly from Carlee McCondichie. Peralta closed Saturday's doubleheader with four hits, including a pair of triples.
After loading the bases to lead off the fourth, freshman Millie Roberts came up big in a pinch-hit spot, driving in a run with a single to center. Ellis cut Pitt's lead to one with her first hit of the season, a two-run double to center. An inning-ending double play silenced the scoring threat.
Auburn put the tying run on base in the final three innings with the best scoring chance coming in the top of the seventh. The Tigers loaded the bases with a pair of singles from Aspyn Godwin and McCrary and a two-out hit by pitch issued to pinch hitter Maia Engelkes to bring the top of the order to the plate.
Pitt held on to a hot shot at third base off the bat of Peralta, making the unassisted play at third to end the game.
Sophomore Icess Tresvik and freshman Emmah Rolfe made their Auburn debuts in the circle during Saturday's opener against Pitt. After struggling to find her groove after taking over in relief in the second inning, Rolfe kept Pitt off the board with two scoreless innings while picking up a pair of strikeouts.
Lowe tossed the final 1.2 innings against the Panthers, striking out three of the five batters she faced.
The Tigers conclude the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday with a single contest against Illinois at 11:30 a.m. CT. Sunday's finale will be streamed on the GameChanger app.