ATHENS, Ga. – After falling in Saturday's opening contest, No. 18 Auburn softball (21-5, 1-2 SEC) battled No. 19 Georgia (20-6, 2-1 SEC) in extra innings at Jack Turner Stadium, but the Bulldogs held on to walk off the win in the 10th inning to sweep the doubleheader and win the series.
Auburn's offense struggled to find momentum against Georgia's Madison Kerpics in Saturday's opener as the Bulldogs evened the series by taking game one of Saturday's doubleheader 5-0. The Tigers jumped out to 4-0 lead in the first inning on Saturday's series finale, but the Bulldogs battled back to force extra before walking off a 5-4 win in the 10th.
"The difference was we didn't finish some innings out on defense and in the circle," said head coach Mickey Dean. "We had opportunities when we had two outs in the inning, but we didn't just end the inning. When you jump on a team early, you have a chance to build. We didn't do any building. It is lessons learned. Those are things we can get better at and continue to work on. It was two great teams going at it. Someone is going to lose. Someone is going to win. We just didn't finish that second one today."
Makaula Packer led Auburn at the plate over the doubleheader with a 3-for-6 effort at the plate, adding a walk and a run scored. Bri Ellis slugged three hits, including a double, on Saturday while drawing a walk.
It was the Bulldogs that struck first in game two of the series. After a scoreless opening inning, Georgia knocked back-to-back, two-out doubles to manufacture the first run of the game. KK McCrary limited the damage, robbing a hit with a diving catch in left to retire the side.
Georgia added to its lead in the third with a two-run home run while plating another insurance run in the fourth with an RBI single to right field. Georgia's final run of the game came in the sixth, scoring on a wild pitch.
Auburn's offense was held to a pair of singles from Jessie Blaine and Denver Bryant and two walks in Saturday's opening contest.
Shelby Lowe earned the start in the circle for the Tigers. Through three innings, Lowe (2-3) allowed three runs off five hits and a walk. Annabelle Widra and Emmah Rolfe, making her SEC debut, combined for three innings of relief. The reliving duo both gave up a pair of hits and were each charged with a run.
Drawing one of Auburn's two walks in the opening contest and leading off game two of Saturday's doubleheader with a single, Nelia Peralta extended her reached base streak to 26 consecutive games.
Peralta worked her way to third, tagging up on a foul out and advancing to third on a wild pitch. A Georgia error on a throw to second on a steal attempt from pinch runner Skylar Elkins allowed Peralta to score.
McCrary pushed the lead to 2-0 with an RBI to left center before Carlee McCondichie delivered the big hit of the inning, plating two with a double to right center. Georgia got one run back in the home half, stringing together a pair of singles and a stolen base to put a run on the board.
Georgia cut Auburn's lead to 4-2 with a solo home run in the third inning. Auburn clung to its 4-2 lead until the seventh inning as Georgia locked the game at 4-4 with a two-run home run.
Auburn had chances in extra innings, putting a runner on in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings, but could not capitalize late. Georgia walked the game off in the 10th with a two-out, solo home run from Jayda Kearny.
Maddie Penta tossed the entire 9.2 innings in the circle for the Tigers, suffering her first loss to fall to 11-1. She struck out six in the contest.
The Tigers returns to nonconference action next weekend for another top-25 test as Auburn competes in the Omni Hall of Fame Classic at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Auburn will face Weber State, No. 24 Northwestern and No. 1 Oklahoma over five games.
Auburn opens the tournament on Friday with a doubleheader header against the Wildcats of Weber State and Northwestern. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT.
