Curries Strikes Out 14, Tigers Take Two at Stanford Invitational
Audio l Box Score
February 25, 2005
STANFORD, Calif. -- Holly Currie struck out a career-high 14 and Ashley Griffin hit a two-run home run as Auburn defeated Texas Tech, 4-1, in the Tigers' second game Friday in the Stanford Invitational at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium. Auburn started off the day with a 2-1 victory over Sacramento State.
Currie broke her single-game record of 13 strikeouts, set against the College of Charleston Feb. 11 in Auburn's first-ever perfect game. The Pisgah, Ala., native improved to 7-3 this season after allowing just one run and two hits over seven innings of work.
"Holly had another great performance from the circle tonight," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "She allowed our defense to have a great game while keeping the Red Raiders' off balance. She mixed up her pitches and speeds and threw a great game. It was a great start to the Invitational for her."
Griffin's home run, her second of the season, proved to be the game winner. The round-tripper came in the third inning off Texas Tech (3-5) starter Erin Crawford, who fell to 1-2 on the season.
"Our offense did what it needed to do today," Deese said. "It didn't necessarily show up on the scoreboard, except where it matters the most."
Auburn (16-4) scored two insurance runs in the seventh. Paige Jones singled to left, scoring Kristina McCain. Two batters later, Sara Ghezzi produced a sacrifice fly to left, driving in Nicole Russo, who was pinch running for Currie.
Five Tigers had one hit in the win, while three walked once in a balanced offensive attack.
The second win came on the heels of a pitching battle in the first game of the day. McCain's two-run home run in the fifth inning proved to the game winner as Auburn defeated Sacramento State, 2-1, in the Tigers' opening game of the Stanford Invitational.
The shot over the left center field fence drove in Griffin, who had singled to right to start the inning. The round-tripper, McCain's second of the season, came off Sacramento State (5-4) starter Brianne Ferguson.
Beth DiPietro improved to 7-1 on the season, throwing seven innings, allowing five hits and one run while striking out three. Ferguson was saddled with the loss, and is now 2-3 on the season. She threw seven innings as well, but gave up nine hits and two runs. She struck out one and walked four.
Holly Currie and Sara Dean both had two hits to lead the Tiger attack. McCain walked once, and, prior to going 1-for-2 with a double against Texas Tech, had at least one walk in her previous eight games.
Sacramento State opened the game's scoring with a run in the third. Erin Coyne singled to center off DiPietro, driving in Hilary Johnson, who was hit by a pitch.
Auburn opens up play Saturday by taking on UC Davis at 11 a.m. CT., at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium. The Tigers then take on Invitational host and fourth-ranked Stanford at 3 p.m. CT.
TIGER NOTES: Sara Dean played in her 200th career game against Sacramento State ... Dean also extended her hitting streak to nine games in the second inning against Sacramento State ... She singled through the left side of the infield off Hornets' starter Brianne Ferguson ... Dean's streak, however, was snapped in the second game when she went 0-for-2 with a walk ... Dean was 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts against over the two games ... She is now 6-for-11 this season ... Holly Currie doubled to right center in the seventh against Sacramento State, giving her at least one in four of her last five games and five of seven ... Auburn posted nine hits against Sacramento State and five against Texas Tech ... The Tigers have now gone the last 10 games with at least five hits in each ... The Tigers wore their orange uniforms for just the third and fourth games this season ... They are 3-1 in the orange uniforms this year.