March 5, 2008
Birmingham, Ala. - Auburn's Taryn Gray doubled and homered to help lead the Tigers' softball team to a 7-3 victory over Samford Wednesday night.
Auburn improved to 16-3 with the victory, while Samford dropped to 8-12 with the loss. Freshman Lauren Schmalz moved to 3-0 in earning the win. Schmalz threw 3.0 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits. Schmalz fanned five. Kayla Burris took the loss for Samford, dropping to 5-4.
Anna Thompson notched her first save of the season, throwing the final 4.0 innings allowing just two hits and striking out 10.
Samford jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After a single and an error put runners at first and second with no outs, Aaren Fisher smacked a three-run home run to centerfield to put the Tigers in an early hole.
The Tigers came back to tie the game in the top of the fourth. With one out, Gray doubled to the wall in left-center. Jorja Bell then reached on a fielding error. Katie Colton then singled to right to score Gray.
Starr Dorsey followed with a single to right that was misplayed by the fielder, allowing Bell and Colton to score to tie the game. Kyndall White gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead with a single to shallow left that plated Colton from second.
Auburn extended its lead in the fifth. With Brittany Scott on first and one out, Gray hit her first home run of the season to push the lead to 6-3. It was Gray's first home run since the 2006 season.
Myesha Finney gave the Tigers a four run advantage with a double to center that scored Scott. Scott had singled and stolen second to open the top of the seventh inning.
Auburn returns to action this weekend, hosting the War Eagle Classic. The Tigers play Bowling Green at 12:30 p.m Friday, then play Georgia Southern at 3 p.m.