Tigers Sweep Arkansas With 10-2 Victory
Audio l Box Score
March 13, 2005
AUBURN -- Paige Jones and Lolani Alvarez drove in three runs apiece and Holly Currie won her fifth straight game as Auburn defeated Arkansas, 10-2, Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field, giving the Tigers a three-game sweep of the Lady Razorbacks.
The game lasted just five innings due to the mercy-run rule, which becomes in effect if a team is leading by eight runs or more after five innings.
"It's a great way to start SEC play," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "We put up really good numbers this weekend. Now, we just have to keep that rolling, keep our hot streak up."
Jones had three singles and drove in runs in the first, third and fourth innings to pace Auburn, which has 10 of its last 11 games. She now has 28 RBI on the season, second on the team to Currie's 36.
"Paige saw the ball real well today," Deese said. "It's just a continuation of how well she has been hitting lately. She doing exactly what she needs to be doing as the No. 5 batter, which is to drive in runs when we have runners on base. That was exactly the case today."
Alvarez drove in three runs for the third time this season. She singled in the third, then narrowly missed her third home run of the season in the fourth, instead hitting the center field wall for a two-run double.
Currie threw four innings for her 12th win of the season. She struck out seven and walked one while allowing just two hits. Both Arkansas (10-17 overall, 0-6 Southeastern Conference) runs were scored off her.
However, each was unearned as the Lady 'Backs took advantage of Auburn (27-6, 3-0) errors in the third and fourth innings.
Currie, for the second straight day, also dealt Arkansas pitching a blow. On Sunday, she was 2-for-3 with two RBI. She hit her team-leading 13th double in the third inning.
In the three games against the Lady 'Backs, Currie went 7-for-11 with two home runs, two doubles, her first career triple and 10 RBI.
The Pisgah, Ala., native also posted a 2-0 record from the circle in two appearances against Arkansas, striking out 15 while allowing six hits and just two walks.
"Holly had a terrific weekend," Deese said. "She's been real dominant from the circle this season and continued that against the Lady 'Backs. Then, you have how she's been doing from the batter's box and her numbers look even better."
The Tigers jumped on the board early, posting two runs in the first.
Kristina McCain, Auburn's second batter of the game, doubled to right and was driven in by a Currie single on the next play. Two batters later, Jones singled for the first time, driving in Currie.
Auburn scored three apiece in the third and fourth innings. The first three batters of the third all scored - on a Jones' single, when Sara Ghezzi reached on an error and the final coming on Alvarez' single.
The Tigers ended the game in the fifth with two runs off reliever Kelly Ninemire. Anne Norton began the inning with a pinch hit home run over the right field fence, her second round-tripper of the season. Then, with Ashley Griffin on third, Currie hit a sacrifice fly foul ball to put Auburn up by eight.
McCain went 2-for-4 in the No. 2 slot of the lineup, her 10th multi-hit game of the season and second of the weekend.
Valanna Lyons started the game for Arkansas, and gave up four runs on four hits and three walks in two innings. She struck out one and fell to 6-10 this season.
The Tigers will now enjoy a week off before traveling to Oxford, Miss., Saturday for a three-game set with Ole Miss. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT, with two games penciled in on Saturday.
Catch the games live on the Internet at www.auburntigers.com. Click on the live audio link on the right side of the page. Those in the Auburn area can also find the game on the radio dial at WANI-AM (1400).
TIGER NOTES: The Tigers have now swept Arkansas two years in a row, taking all three from the Lady Razorbacks in Fayetteville last season ... Auburn improved to 14-2 this season at Jane B. Moore Field ... The Tigers are batting .317 as a team so far this season, and have posted a .404 on-base percentage, which is more than 80 points higher than last season ... The two runs scored by Arkansas were the most the Lady 'Backs have scored against the Tigers since Auburn's 3-2 victory on March 16, 2003 ... Holly Curries' 36 RBI this season already surpass her total from a year ago ... She posted 21 last season ... Currie also has 41 hits this season, already six more than her 2004 output ... Paige Jones, meanwhile, has also far surpassed her season total in RBI from last season, knocking in 28 runs to this point of the year ... She had four last season ... Auburn wore its white uniforms Sunday, improving to 7-3 in them this season.