March 19, 2006
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The 18th-ranked Auburn softball team fell to No. 2 Tennessee, 8-0, in a five-inning game Sunday at Tyson Park.
The win gave Tennessee the three-game series victory after the Tigers and Lady Vols split a doubleheader Saturday. It was Auburn's victory in the second game Saturday that snapped Tennessee's 24-game win streak.
On Sunday, Monica Abbott limited Auburn to two walks and a hit by pitch in throwing her second no hitter of the weekend. She improved to 16-0.
The Lady Vols (25-1 overall, 2-1 SEC) broke open the game in the third with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Tonya Callahan singled to left, bringing in two. Two batters later, Jennifer Griffin singled to nearly the same spot, scoring another run.
Tennessee opened the game with a run in the first off Auburn starter Holly Currie. Lindsay Schutzler began the game with a walk and scored three batters later on a single and fielding error.
The Tigers (21-6, 4-2) threatened in the first on the strength of two walks and a hit by pitch. However, an inning-ending groundout stranded runners on first and second.
The Lady Vols scored four more in the fifth to go up by eight, which ended the game.
Currie was saddled with the loss and fell to 12-3 on the season. She allowed four hits and four runs -- two earned -- while striking out three. Junior Beth DiPietro and sophomore Brittany Day combined for 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out one while walking four.
The Tigers will now enjoy their first week of the season without a mid-week game before hosting SEC Eastern Division foe Georgia Saturday and Sunday. Auburn and Georgia will square off in a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. CT., before playing a solo contest at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
All games, which will be played at Jane B. Moore Field, are available on www.auburntigers.com and WZMG-AM (910). Live video and stats will also be available on www.auburntigers.com.
TIGER NOTES: The Tigers wore their blue uniforms for both games and are 12-3 in them this season ... Auburn's Kristina McCain and Tennessee's Monica Abbott started off the game in nearly the same fashion as the first game of Saturday's doubleheader ... McCain battled Abbott to a nine-pitch walk Sunday after walking on eight pitches Saturday ... The walks constituted Abbott's sixth and seventh of the season, respectively ... Abbott later hit Ashley Griffin for her seventh HBP of the season.