LEXINGTON, Ky. – Auburn softball (23-15, 1-13 SEC) battled from behind to take down Kentucky 2-1 to open the series with its first Southeastern Conference win of the season, but the Wildcats (23-16, 6-8 SEC) battled back 4-3 to split Friday’s doubleheader at John Cropp Stadium.
“I’m glad we were able to win a hard-fought game,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “We played two close games tonight. Their pitchers were throwing well. We were able to pull it out in game one and then put ourselves in a position to clinch the series. We just weren’t able to finish it out.”
A solo Kentucky home run put the Wildcats up early in game one, but Haley Rainey settled in and quieted the Wildcat offense while the Tigers relied on AnnaLea Adams to get the job done at the plate as the freshman drove in both runs to propel Auburn to a 2-1 win.
It was Auburn’s 16th comeback win of the season and the first SEC win of the Malveaux era.
Auburn scored three runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead in game two, but Kentucky used a bases-clearing triple in the sixth to even the series with a 4-3 win in Friday’s finale.
Nelia Peralta led the Tigers at the plate with a 3-for-7 effort with two doubles and two RBI over the doubleheader. She extended her hit streak to eight straight games. Earning a pair of starts at designated player, Ma’Nia Womack picked up a pair of hits and scored a run. Abbey Smith also picked up two singles, scored a run and added an RBI on Friday. Adams knocked two hits, including a home run, scoring a run and adding two RBI in the twin billing.
Rainey was instrumental in the Auburn win in game one. After getting into trouble in the second inning, she retired 10 straight Wildcats to keep the Tigers in striking distance. She gave up just two hits and a run in her five innings of work. SJ Geurin earned the win in relief to improve to 16-6 on the season. She tossed two scoreless frames, allowing just one hit. She struck out three in the outing.
Four Tigers saw the circle in game two of the series. Chalea Clemmons earned the start, but it was Geurin that suffered the loss in relief as her record fell to 16-7. Rainey was the most effective arm in game two. She allowed just one hit in her 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts.
GAME ONE
After a scoreless opening frame, Kentucky got on the board in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to straightaway center from Peyton Plotts. Auburn answered in the fourth inning with a solo blast of its own as Adams’ seventh home run of the season locked the game up at 1-1.
The Tigers left a runner stranded at third base in the first, fifth and sixth innings, but were finally able to come through with the go-ahead run in the seventh. With two on board via Kentucky errors and two outs, Adams came through with a single through the right side to put the Tigers up 2-1.
Rainey was strong in her start, retiring the last 10 Wildcats she faced in order. Geurin took over for the Tigers in the sixth and kept Kentucky off balance with a perfect frame of her own.
Kentucky would not see a base runner again until the seventh inning as the Wildcats led off with a single to right field. Auburn answered with a pair of quick outs, but a hit by pitch moved the tying run into scoring position. A huge Geurin strikeout ended the threat to secure Auburn’s first SEC win of the season.
GAME TWO
Similar to the opening contest, Kentucky got on board first, but this time the Wildcats were able to score in the first inning. With a pair on and two outs, Hallie Mitchell singled up the middle to plate the go-ahead run.
Kentucky added to its lead in the third inning. A single and stolen base put a running in scoring position with one out for the Wildcats. A Lauryn Borzilleri double made it a 2-0 Kentucky lead. The Wildcats loaded the bases later in the inning, but reliever Rainey fired back with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the Tigers in striking distance.
The Tigers were kept off the board until the fifth inning. Womack singled ahead of a Kylie Brockman double to put two in scoring position. With one out, Smith connected with a single up the middle to plate a run to cut the lead to one run.
Pinch hitter Thalia Martin followed by putting a play in play near first base. Despite getting Brockman caught in a rundown between home plate and third base, all hands got back safely to load the bases. Peralta delivered the big hit with a single up the middle to plate two runs to put the Tigers in front 3-2.
The Auburn lead was short lived, however. With two on and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Auburn looked like it was out of the jam with a fly ball to right field, but the ball got caught up in the wind and fell safely for a triple to put Kentucky back in front 4-3.
Auburn got the tying run in scoring position in the top of the seventh as Smith singled and promptly stole second, but three straight strikeouts silenced the Tiger comeback bid.
UP NEXT
The series is up for grabs on Saturday. Due to the threat of rain, first pitch has been adjusted to 12 p.m. CT. The game will now air on the SEC Network+.