Tigers Fall To Florida State, Drop Out Of NCAA Regional
Box Score | Audio
May 21, 2005
Auburn -- Florida State's Casey Hunter held Auburn to a complete game, five-hit shutout, leading the Seminoles to a 2-0 victory over the Tigers Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field.
With the loss, Auburn's season ends at 50-18 while the Seminoles advance to the Championship Game of the Auburn Regional, held Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
"It's a tough loss for us," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "Holly Currie pitched a heck of a game. We hit the ball hard consistently, but just didn't get a bounce. We're proud of the way the players played and the effort they gave."
Currie held Florida State (35-27) to five hits as well but two runs, one each in the first and sixth innings, respectively, proved to be enough. Currie worked six full innings, striking out 10, her seventh double-digit outing of the season. She fell to 24-11 on the season.
Florida State opened the game's scoring with one run in the bottom half of the first. Veronica Wootson stole second, and on the throw, which went into center field without being touched, Natasha Jacob came in to score unabated. Jacob started off the inning by reaching on a bunt single.
The Seminoles extended the lead when Wootson placed a Holly Currie pitch over the center field fence with one out in the sixth. The home run marked the third of the season for Wootson and second in two games against the Tigers this season.
Currie paced Auburn with her 22nd multiple-hit game of the season. She ended the season on a five-game hitting streak. The Pisgah, Ala., native set an Auburn record with 65 runs batted in and tied a team record with 17 home runs.
Sara Dean also had a hit for the Tigers, as did Amy Shaw and Lolani Alvarez. Wootson led the Seminoles with two hits while three other players had one apiece.
"This was a great game," Dean said. "I'll always remember it. We hit the ball and I'm proud of the way we played."
The game marked the final of the career of four Auburn seniors. Dean, Alvarez, Paige Jones and Anne Norton finished their Tiger careers with four straight appearances in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and three in an NCAA Regional in four years.
"The seniors have contributed in big ways," Deese said. "It's going to be tough to lose our four seniors."
TIGER NOTES: Holly Currie struck out seven straight at one point, putting down the side in the second and third innings and then striking out the first batter of the fourth inning ... Each strikeout was swinging ... Ashley Griffin made a diving catch just beyond the third base bag in foul territory to end the fourth, robbing LaShaun Davis of another pitch in her at bat ... Krista Barts appeared in her second game of the season, pinch running for Holly Currie in the sixth ... Barts had previously played against Georgia in the SEC Tournament, pinch hitting, then subsequently getting hit by a pitch.
GAME 5
FLORIDA STATE 2, AUBURN 0
Game Notes
* First pitch 7:30 p.m. CT.
Auburn Notes
* Auburn wrapped up the season with a school-best 50 wins en route to securing a 50-18 record. They became just the third team in Auburn sports history to reach the 50-win plateau, matching the 1995 and 1997 baseball teams for most single-season wins in Auburn history.
* Auburn is now 3-12-1 all-time against Florida State, including a 2-5 mark on the Plains.
* The rematch with Florida State marked the first-ever rematch in NCAA postseason play for the Tigers. AU lost to FSU by a final count of 5-0 Friday night.
* The Tigers were 26-5 inside the friendly confines of Jane B. Moore Field, 4-4 in May, 8-3 in night contests, 28-7 in their blue uniforms, 5-14 when trailing after four innings, 4-12 when trailing after five innings and 1-12 when trailing following six innings of play.
* Pitcher Holly Currie's double in the first inning was the 20th this season for the sophomore, which is third on the all-time Auburn single-season charts behind Ashley Camp's 21 in 1997 and Ashley Moore's 22 in 2001. It also extended her current hit streak to four games.
* Currie struck out seven straight Seminoles over the span of the second and third innings. She struck out the side in both frames.
* Currie now has 22 multi-hit games on the season, which is the third-highest total in school history.
* Saturday night's game against FSU was the sixth time the Tigers have played as the visiting team at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn was 5-1 in those contests.
* Sara Dean batted second in the AU order while Sara Ghezzi was in the cleanup spot for the second time this season. Both were in the same spots in the lineup earlier in the afternoon game against Baylor.
* At one point, the Tigers retired 12 straight Seminole batters with Currie striking out eight batters during that span.
Florida State Notes
* Natasha Jacob extends her hit streak to 23 consecutive games with a bunt single in the first to break the FSU record for individual hitting.
* Veronica Wootson extended her hit streak to seven games with single in the first.
* Wootson's home run in the bottom of the sixth gives her three on the year with two of them coming against Auburn in regional play.
* Wootson also is now tied for second on the team in steals with 11 after stealing second base in the first inning.
* With two strikeouts on the night Casey hunter now stands at 890 for her career. She is now nine K's shy of tying the FSU record for career strikeouts held by Jessica van der Linden (899).
* Hunter has started 9 of the last 11 games for FSU. In two games against Auburn Hunter allowed one base-runner past second in each of the games.
* The win was Hunter's tenth shutout of the season and second against Auburn. It was also the Seminoles' 16th shutout of the season.
* Florida State is now 35-27 on the year. They are 35-24 in regionals lifetime and have now shutout an opponent in the NCAA's 18 times.
* FSU is also 6-6 at neutral sites this year, 8-6 in two-run games, 9-4 when committing no errors, 9-7 when hitting a home run, and 4-4 when tying an opponent in hits.
Auburn Quotes
Head Coach Tina Deese
"It was a tough loss. Our kids played great. Holly Currie pitched great the whole game and stayed on them. We hit the ball consistently, but we just couldn't get a break. They played good with enthusiasm and hustled. I'm really proud of the effort they gave."
On the seniors...
"I told our seniors to look in the stands because they helped create a lot of this. When they arrived on campus we didn't even have bleachers or six people to watch them. They've created an atmosphere that's fun and that's a tribute to them. They've been fun to watch and play the game well. They gave all they have. Our seniors have contributed in big ways. I'm proud of them, and will miss them."
On next year's team...
"We have some good strong youth on the team and some good new players coming in. We'll also have some veterans on the mound, but our seniors will be hard to replace."
C Sara Dean
On her final game at Auburn...
"I couldn't be prouder of us. We were there on every single pitch and we came out ready to swing. Obviously, I wish it would have turned out differently, but I'd rather we lose with class like we did if we were going to lose. We gave a great effort all around. It was a good game."
P Holly Currie
On her pitching...
"I had some jitters at first because it was an important game. I settled in, knowing my team was behind me and believed in me."
Florida State Quotes
Head Coach Joanne Graf
"We knew that Auburn was going to come at us fired up. They played a great game. You know, this is the kind of game that you don't want someone to have to lose, but I think both teams played well. It is tough to beat a team twice. I was proud of Casey (Hunter) who bounced back from this morning. She did a good job shutting them down. Veronica (Wootson) stepped up and gave a spark to everyone else on the team. It is exciting to see her come around. We are very proud that our kids have stepped up, but we have a big game ahead of us tomorrow. We are going to give it all we have got and leave it all on the field."
P Casey Hunter
"I just though of this game as possibly my last game ever to play. I just gave it my all and played like I had nothing to lose."
2B Veronica Wootson
on Holly Currie
"We saw her before so we had an idea about her, I just had to adjust and have her pitch to me."