Feb. 12, 2006
AUBURN, Ala. - The 17th-ranked Auburn softball team couldn't overcome a fast Centenary start and fell 9-6 on Sunday in the finale of the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn finished the three-day tournament 4-1.
The game, which last just shy of three hours, featured 17 hits and seven errors between the teams. Auburn allowed Centenary to put four on the board in the first and five more in the fourth. The Tigers threatened often, leaving the bases loaded in the first and third innings, but could not overcome the deficit.
Four Tigers had two hits -- senior Ashley Griffin, juniors Kristina McCain and Sara Ghezzi and freshman Taryn Gray -- as Auburn posted 11 hits to Centenary's six. The five-run fourth saw Centenary post three of its six hits. Emerald Doria and Brittney Broussard both homered off Tiger reliever Beth DiPietro in the frame as the Ladies extended their lead to 9-3.
Auburn scored its first runs of the game in the third, putting three across the plate. Gray led off the inning with a single and scored when Ghezzi reached on a fielder's choice. Ghezzi scored later off a Centenary error, and Griffin, who had reached on a single and advanced to second on the miscue, was driven in by pinch hitter Tara Donaldson.
After Centenary went up 9-3, the Tigers scored two in the bottom half of the fourth and pushed a solo run across in the sixth. But the Tigers left another run on base in the seventh en route to 11 overall.
Auburn committed six errors in the game, just one shy of tying a team record. The Tigers committed seven against Minnesota on February 27, 1998.
Sophomore Brittany Day started for the Tigers and fell to 0-1 on the year. She lasted 2/3 of an inning, facing seven batters before being replaced by DiPietro. The Riverview, Fla., native threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and five runs.
Junior Holly Currie finished the game for the Tigers by throwing the final 3 2/3. She gave up just one hit while walking two and striking out six.
Ashley Lail improved to 2-1 for Centenary. She relieved Jessica Ivins in the third, and threw 4 1/3, striking out four and walking three. She allowed three runs and seven hits.
Currie was named the Most Valuable Pitcher of the Tiger Invitational after going 2-0 with a 1.75 earned run average in 16 innings over the three days. She struck out 28 in three appearances.
Gray was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after starting off her career with three doubles and a triple. She was 12 for 21 (.571) in the five games.
Freshman Tatiana Fernandez, meanwhile, was Auburn's representative on the All-Tournament team. She batted .471 with two doubles, a home run and six runs batted in.
Auburn next plays Tuesday in Atlanta against Georgia State at 5 p.m. EST. The game will not be broadcast on the radio.
TIGER NOTES: Auburn wore its orange uniforms ... Other all-tournament honorees included North Carolina State's Abbie Sims and Miranda Ervin, Evansville's Ashley Hobbs and Brittany Herald, Minnesota's Megan Higginbotham, Miami (Ohio)'s Halle Popson and Leslie Macedo and Centenary's Ashley Lail and Emerald Doria.