Ghezzi RBI Single Gives Auburn Softball Team 1-0 Victory Over Arkansas
March 13, 2004
Kristen Keyes |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Sara Ghezzi singled home Martha Phillips with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to give Auburn a 1-0 victory over Arkansas on Friday night at LadyBack Yard.
With the win, the Tigers improve to 19-3 and the LadyBacks fall to 8-9. Auburn won its Southeastern Conference-opener for just the second time in school history. Arkansas fell to 0-4 in league action.
Phillips got the ninth inning rally going with a one-out walk. She advanced to second on Kristina McCain's sacrifice bunt before Ghezzi came to the plate.
Rachel LeMaster gave Arkansas a chance to tie in the bottom half of the inning when she singled to center with one out. However, she was stranded as Kallie Foglesome lined to shortstop and Kristen Patton grounded to first.
Kristen Keyes was outstanding for Auburn, tossing nine shutout innings and allowing just four hits. She walked none and struck out 11, giving her 10 or more strikeouts in for the fifth time in her last six starts. It was her second consecutive shutout and she ran her scoreless inning streak to 21.2. She has not allowed an earned run in 39.2 innings.
However, Shana Easley blooped a single into left field to snap Keyes streak of 12 consecutive hitless innings. The streak dated back to a Feb. 24 game with Samford.
Heather Schlichtman was solid in the circle for the LadyBacks. She went the distance and allowed just four hits while striking out 14. Her strikeout number was one off the school record.
Auburn threatened first in the fifth when it loaded the bases with two outs. Sara and Ashley Griffin each drew walks sandwiched around a Paige Jones single to bring Shannon Anderson up. However, Foglesome made a diving grab from her shortstop position of Anderson's slap to end the inning.
An inning later Sara Dean led off with a double only to be stranded on second. Schlichtman struck out Holly Currie, Phillips and McCain to keep the game scoreless.
In the sixth, Blair Perry blooped a two-out double down the right field line, but was left on second when Keyes struck out pinch-hitter BJ Southmayd.
The Hogs left four runners on in the contest while Auburn stranded seven.
The teams were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at Noon, but rain forced the start time back to 6 p.m. The second game was postponed to Sunday because of continuous rain and what would have been a late start.
A doubleheader is now slated for 11 a.m. Sunday at LadyBack Yard.