March 30, 2006
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Junior Kristina McCain was 3 for 3 as the 17th-ranked Auburn softball team closed out its four-game road trip with a 7-2 victory over Florida State Thursday at Joanne Graf Field.
McCain singled in the first, hit a solo home run to right in the second, walked in the fourth and doubled in a run in the seventh. She also scored three runs in the win.
The junior from Mount Olive, Ala., has now walked in six straight games and 12 of her last 13. She ended the week against Florida and Florida State batting .462 (6 for 13) with four runs scored, two doubles, four walks and two RBI in four games.
"Kristina has really been a catalyst for us this season," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "She's seeing the ball well, getting on base and making things happen."
Junior Beth DiPietro had her second impressive outing of the week, limiting Florida State to seven hits and two runs in seven innings. She did not issue a walk and struck out three.
DiPietro began the week with a no hitter against Florida Tuesday and threw in three games, going 2-1. She is now 11-4 this season.
"Beth hit her corners and impressed again," Deese said. "She had a pretty good week and we're going to look to build on it against Tennessee Tech and LSU next week."
The Tigers (24-10 overall) took an early lead, pushing three runs across the plate in the first. McCain and Ashley Griffin posted consecutive singles, with McCain scoring from third two batters later on a single to right by freshman Tatiana Fernandez.
With Griffin on third and Fernandez on second, junior Sara Ghezzi drove in her 22nd and 23rd runs of the season, respectively, with a single that got past the Florida State (25-16) second baseman.
McCain made it 4-0 an inning later when she took a 1-1 offering from Florida State starter Tiffany McDonald and cleared the right field fence. It marked her fifth home run of the season and the 28th of the year for the Tigers as a team.
Melissa Wood got Florida State back in the game in the sixth, drilling a pitch from DiPietro over the left field fence. The two-run shot came with two out and pulled the Seminoles to with two, 4-2.
The Tigers, however, separated themselves again in the seventh. Freshman Tara Donaldson, in a pinch hitting role, doubled with one out and was driven in a batter later by a McCain double to right center. Griffin then cleared the bases with her fifth home run of the season.
McDonald took the loss for the Seminoles, falling to 15-10 on the year. She allowed eight hits and seven runs in seven innings. She walked four and struck out seven.
Auburn now gets a chance to enjoy a weekend away from Southeastern Conference play as the Tigers will have a bye Saturday and Sunday. The team travels to Huntsville, Ala., Tuesday for a non-conference game with the Ohio Valley Conference's Tennessee Tech. The Tigers and Golden Eagles have never met.
TIGER NOTES: The Tigers wore their blue uniforms for the game and are 13-6 in them this season ... Kristina McCain singled to left to open the game and has now reached base via a hit or walk in seven of her last 10 games ... Ashley Griffin started her 216th career game, moving her into fourth place in Tiger history ... She surpassed Mary Petrie, who started 215 from 1998-2001 ... Griffin now trails Sara Dean and Ashley Moore (244) and Deni Zeigler (232) ... The win marked Auburn's first in Tallahassee since April 15, 2000.