March 27, 2007
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Auburn softball team swept its second doubleheader in Southeastern Conference play this season, defeating Arkansas, 5-0, in game one and 3-2 in game two Tuesday at Lady'Back Yard.
The wins marked Auburn's second and third straight, respectively after the Tigers took the series finale from Mississippi State Sunday in Starkville, Miss. The Tigers have now won 12 of their last 13 games against Arkansas.
The Tigers utilized Holly Currie's seventh home run of the season in the third inning for the 5-0 victory in game one.
Currie drove a 0-1 pitch from Arkansas starter Katy Henry over the left field fence with one out to put the Tigers up for good. Lindsey Harrelson began the offensive attack by reaching on a one-out error and moved to second when Brittany Scott slapped a pitch from Henry through the left side of the infield, setting up Currie's home run.
"It was good to see Holly get a pitch she liked and was able to drive it," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "She has been hitting consistently in SEC games and was able to get a little loft on the ball which is all she needed."
That home run proved to be the game-winner as it gave Anna Thompson breathing room in her 14th start of the season. She threw a gem, limiting Arkansas to three hits in a full seven innings for her eighth complete game of the season and second shutout. Of the three hits, only one came in the last five innings and Thompson did not allow a runner to reach second base.
Thompson struck out six to give her 183 this season, which is second only to Tennessee's Monica Abbott (397) in the SEC.
"She pitched a great game," Deese said of Thompson, who improved to 10-9 this season. "She worked the corners and picked her spots. Our defense did a great job behind her to get her the shutout."
Up 3-0 after five, the Tigers (17-19 overall, 6-7 SEC) chased Arkansas' Henry in the sixth after a RBI single by Myesha Finney that scored Sara Ghezzi and put Auburn up, 5-0. Ghezzi drove in the inning's first run with a double to the left center gap that scored pinch runner Lauren Walton from first.
Henry took the loss and fell to 7-14 this season. She worked 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven while walking one. All of Auburn's five runs and five of the team's six hits came off Henry.
The Tigers completed the sweep after defeating Arkansas, 3-2, in game two.
The Tigers had to battle back for the win after getting down early to the Lady'Backs, 1-0, when Samantha Buckner singled in a run in the first.
It was a short lead, however, for Arkansas (12-30, 0-10 SEC) as the Tigers erupted for three runs in the fourth off Lady'Backs starter Miranda Dixon. Ghezzi led off the inning by reaching on an infield error and was pinch run for by Walton. She moved to second when a sacrifice bunt by Finney enabled both runners to reach when Arkansas was unsuccessful on the force at second. That play turned out to be key when the next batter, Taryn Gray, singled up the middle for two RBI.
Auburn extended the lead to 3-1 when Tatiana Fernandez singled in Gray, who had stolen second base during the at bat.
Arkansas rallied in the sixth, but Auburn's defense managed to keep the Lady'Backs from tying the game. Teighynne Hulsey pulled Arkansas to with one, 3-2, with a double down the left field line. Two batters later and with Hulsey still at second, Kayla Johnson chopped the ball off Nicole Russo's glove at third. Harrelson, however, was in perfect position to back up Russo and got Hulsey at home.
Currie started the second game for the Tigers, improving to 7-9 this season after working 6 2/3 innings. She scattered eight hits and two runs while striking out 6 and walking 2.
Thompson came in and got the final out of the game for her second save of the season.
Dixon picked up the loss for Arkansas after working a full seven innings. She dropped to 3-12 this season.
Auburn continues SEC play when it hosts LSU in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. CT, while the series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Tiger Notes: Anna Thompson came into the doubleheader with the SEC's second-best ERA during league games at 0.72 ... She dropped that to 0.58 (in 36 innings) after the game one win ... Holly Currie's game one home run was the 34th of her career and first since March 14 in a loss to Georgia ... Of Currie's 34 home runs, 17 have come against SEC opponents.