April 29, 2006
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Ashley Griffin hit her team-leading seventh home run in the third and Holly Currie threw her second one-hitter of the season as the 19th-ranked Auburn softball team defeated South Carolina, 4-0, in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at Beckham Field.
The Tigers, however, dropped a game one decision to the Gamecocks, 5-2.
Griffin took the first pitch she saw from South Carolina starter Kate Pouliot and put it over the left center field fence, ultimately giving the Tigers the win in game two and improving Auburn's record to 33-16. Auburn is 14-12 in Southeastern Conference play.
"That home run was real key," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "It was the catalyst for our offense and really got it going the next inning. Ashley has been consistent this season and saw a pitch she liked."
Griffin's solo shot set a career-high for the senior from Pace, Fla., surpassing the six she hit in both 2004 and 2005. Griffin now has 22 career home runs, moving her into sole possession of fifth place in Auburn history.
Currie, meanwhile, allowed a second inning infield single to Lisa Longo for South Carolina's only hit of the game. Currie improved to 17-9 this season, striking out six and walking two in seven innings of work.
"Holly was very focused in game two," Deese said. "She found her groove and had South Carolina guessing. She worked both corners and impressed in her win."
The Tigers, already up 1-0, put three more on the board in the fourth, each coming with two outs.
Taryn Gray became Auburn's first runner of the inning with an infield single up the middle and moved to second on a bunt single by Robin Martin.
Heather Garrison drove in Auburn's first run of the inning with a double to left, scoring Gray from second. Kristina McCain, the next batter for the Tigers, added two more runs with another double to left, scoring Martin and Garrison.
McCain walked twice on the day for the Tigers, once in each game. The two walks give her 90 for her career, which moves her into a tie for the most in Auburn history with Mary Petrie (1998-2001).
Pouliot took the loss for South Carolina in game one. She dropped to 5-7 this season after allowing four runs and five hits in five innings. She struck out six.
In game one, the Tigers took a 1-0 lead after one, but saw South Carolina score five in the first and third innings, combined, dropping a 5-2 decision to the Gamecocks.
Sara Ghezzi doubled in the top half of the first to drive in McCain for Auburn's first run of the game. Tatiana Fernandez gave Auburn its second run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, but it wasn't enough as South Carolina pounded out eight hits and capitalized on two Auburn errors.
Of the five runs given up by starter Beth DiPietro and reliever Brittany Day, just two were earned.
DiPietro started her 21st game of the season and allowed six hits and three runs in 2 1/3 innings. She took the loss and dropped to 15-6 this season.
Day worked the rest of the game, going 3 2/3. The sophomore struck out one and scattered two hits while allowing two runs -- both of which were unearned.
Christie Hamilton worked a complete game for the Gamecocks, scattering five hits and two runs over seven innings. She struck out there and walked one to improve to 14-14 this season.
The top four batters in the Auburn lineup -- McCain, Griffin, Fernandez and Ghezzi -- each had one hit apiece.
Auburn, which has already claimed an SEC Tournament berth, is now tied with Florida, which also stands at 14-12 in conference play after a doubleheader loss to LSU Saturday, for the tournament's fifth seed. Florida, however, holds the tiebreaker by virtue of taking 2 of 3 from the Tigers in Gainesville in late March.
By virtue of their second game victory, the Tigers can do no worse than the tournament's sixth seed. Arkansas currently holds the seventh seed with 10 victories and has three games remaining next week at Alabama. Florida, meanwhile, hosts South Carolina next weekend to end the SEC's regular season.
Auburn and South Carolina play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. EST. The game can be heard live on the Internet at www.auburntigers.com and by tuning into WZMG-AM (910).
TIGER NOTES: The Tigers wore their white uniforms for the game and they are now 15-8 in them this season ... Beth DiPietro struck out one in the first game, giving her 340 for her career, just one shy of tying Denisse Montalvo (1997-99) for third-most in team history ... Holly Currie battled South Carolina's Chrissy Schoonmaker for 12 pitches in the second inning of the second game ... Schoonmaker grounded to Ashley Griffin at short on the 12th pitch.