April 18, 2007
AUBURN - Jorja Bell set a career-high with three hits in game one and Whitney Wyatt was 3 for 4 with four RBI in game two as the Auburn softball team swept Alabama A&M in a doubleheader Wednesday at Jane B. Moore Field. Both victories came in five innings, with the Tigers taking game one, 9-1, and game two, 17-0.
Thirteen different Tigers had at least one hit during the doubleheader, including Bell, who finished the two games 4 for 7 with three runs batted in. Holly Currie was 2 for 4 with six RBI after a three-run home run in the first inning of game two. Wyatt and Krista Klein both had three hits in game two to mark career highs for the freshmen.
Auburn batters combined for 27 hits while Brittany Day and Holly Currie held the Bulldogs to just seven hits and one walk over the two games.
"All in all, that was a terrific offensive game," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "We did what we needed to do in a non-conference game and really had the chance to get some people experience. Defensively, there were not many opportunities to make plays because Brittany and Holly kept Alabama A&M on its toes."
In the first game, Day struck out a career-high 10 batters and the Tigers pushed six runs across the board in the second for the 9-1, five-inning victory.
Day went a full five innings, scattering six hits and an unearned run. She did not walk a batter and improved to 2-3 this season.
Seven different Tigers had at least hit for the Tigers, who finished with 10 off Alabama A&M starter Deb Borcherding. Bell paced the team with her career-high three hits, while Lauren Walton had two in two at bats before being replaced defensively.
Auburn sent 11 batters during the six-run second, posting three hits and capitalizing on one Alabama A&M error. The Tigers scored their first run of the game when Nicole Russo. Lindsey Harrelson then reached on a fielder's choice, bringing in a second run. Ashley Arcuri flew out to center for a sac fly, and saw Russo and Harrelson score on a single to center by Walton. The team scored its final run of the inning when Currie reached on an error.
In game two, four different Tigers had multiple-hit efforts as Auburn strolled to the 17-0 victory. The Tigers posted runs in three of their four innings, getting ahead early with nine runs in the first. In that inning, Auburn sent 15 batters to the plate with the first out being made after the Tigers were up 6-0.
Currie took the lead and ran with it, limiting the Bulldogs to just one hit in four innings. She struck out nine to improve to 9-11 this season.
Wyatt singled in the first and second innings, then drove a three-run home run down the left field line in the team's five-run fourth. It was her second home run of the season and the second of the game for Tigers, who saw Currie go deep with a three-run shot in the first inning.
Currie nearly missed the team's first grand slam since 2003 in the second. With Harrelson, Arcuri and Scott on base, Currie lined a shot that hit the top of the fence in center, giving her a double and the Tigers a 12-0 lead.
"Holly really had a solid game, both in the batter's box and from the circle," Deese said. "She got a big lead early and really worked well from that point on. She was able to focus with a big lead, which can be tough."
Klein finished with doubles in the first and fourth innings en route to her career-high three hits. She also singled in the second.
"I am proud of the way the team played overall," Deese said. "They had to play a mid-week non-conference game before a tough series in Tennessee. They really responded." The wins marked the ninth and 10th times this season an Auburn game has finished in less than seven innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. The Tigers are now 7-3 in that situation.
Auburn takes its last road trip of the season when it visits Tennessee in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday in Knoxville. Sunday's game, which begins at 1 p.m. CT, will be shown live regionally on Fox Sports Net.
Tiger Notes: Brittany Day's 10-strikeout performance in game one was the first of her career and 13th this season by an Auburn pitcher ... Anna Thompson has 11 while Holly Currie has one ... Auburn entered the game with the second-most strikeouts in the Southeastern Conference with 416.