Feb. 8, 2007
HONOLULU - The 24th-ranked Auburn softball team dropped its 2007 season opener to DePaul, 7-0, Thursday at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
The Tigers finish up their first day of play in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Hawaii Paradise Classic with a 2 p.m. Hawaii Time (6 p.m. CT) game against No. 15 Nebraska.
Senior Holly Currie started for the Tigers against DePaul, working 5 1/3 innings before giving way to freshman Anna Thompson in the sixth. Currie allowed five runs while striking out seven and walking three. The Pisgah, Ala., native fell to 0-1 this season.
Tracie Adix started and threw six innings for DePaul to earn her first win of the season. She limited the Tigers to three hits while walking one and striking out eight. Becca Heteniak relieved her in the seventh and allowed runners - both on hit by pitches -- to reach first and second before getting out of the inning unscathed.
The Blue Demons started the game's scoring in the third. Marcy Wilus reached on an infield single to load the bases, then saw Cassie Kleinsmith drive in two on a single to put DePaul up, 2-0.
DePaul broke the game open in the sixth, putting five runs across the plate to make it 7-0. Linda Secka highlighted the scoring with a grand slam off Thompson, who had relieved Currie a batter earlier.
Tatiana Fernandez, Jorja Bell and Lindsey Harrelson each had one hit apiece for the Tigers. Fernandez reached base in each of her three at bats, walking in the second, singling in the fifth and she was hit by a pitch in the seventh.
Watch live stats for the Tigers' game against Nebraska on www.auburntigers.com.
Tiger Notes: The game marked the first collegiate Division I contest this season ... Both teams wore white uniforms ... Auburn starter Holly Currie threw a strike on the first pitch of the season, while the first putout went to Nicole Russo, who caught a foul popup ... DePaul's Sandy Vojik took the first hit of the year on a two-out single through the left side of the infield in the third inning ... Tatiana Fernandez was Auburn's first baserunner, walking in the second inning ... The meeting was the first between the teams since DePaul defeated Auburn, 4-0, on Feb. 22, 1998 ... Four Tigers started their first career games at their respective positions: Junior Brittany in left field, junior Jorja Bell at first base, sophomore Ashley Arcuri at shortstop and sophomore Lindsey Harrelson at second base.