Feb. 28, 2009
Fullerton, Calif. - The Auburn softball team earned a split in day two of the DeMarini Invitational, defeating Indiana 2-1 and losing to Cal Poly 6-0.
The Tigers stand at 16-4 on the season and will play their final game in the tournament Sunday at 1:15 p.m. CT against host Cal State-Fullerton.
In the second game of the day, Jenee Loree improved to 7-2 with a complete-game victory over Indiana. Loree allowed one unearned run on two hits with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts.
Sara Olsen took the loss to fall to 1-3 for Indiana (1-13). Olsen allowed two runs, both unearned, on four hits in 6.0 innings of work.
Auburn took advantage of an Indiana throwing error to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Elizabeth Eisterhold walked with one out and was lifted for pinch-runner Megan Mitchell. Tatiana Fernandez singled to center to put runners at first and second. On a double steal, the catcher threw wild to third which allowed Mitchell to score easily.
The Tigers pushed the lead to 2-0 in the fifth, taking advantage of another Indiana error. Taryn Gray singled to opened the frame and moved to second on a sac bunt by Amber Harrison. After a ground out moved Gray to third, Myesha Finney hit a ground ball back to Olson who threw wild to first allowing Gray to score.
Indiana cut the Auburn lead to 2-1 in the top of the sixth, this time taking advantage of an Auburn error. With the bases loaded and two outs, Olsen hit a ground ball to Lauren Guzman at shortstop who booted the ball and allowed pinch-runner Jennifer Glueckert to score from third. With the bases still loaded, Loree got Stephanie Pellerito to strike out swinging to end the inning.
Loree put the Hoosiers down in order in the seventh to end the game.
In game one, Cal Poly Pitcher Helen Pena threw a two-hit shutout as the Mustangs defeated the Tigers 6-0 in the first game Saturday at the DeMarini Invitational.
Pena improved to 2-3 with the win. Pena allowed a hit in the first and second innings, before shutting the door on the Tigers. Pena recorded six strikeouts and one walk in 7.0 innings of work.
Anna Thompson took the loss to fall to 9-2. Thompson allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits in 5.0 innings. Thompson registered nine strikeouts and three walks in recording her first loss since Feb. 8, against Louisville. Jenee Loree threw the final 2.0 innings for Auburn, allowing two runs, both unearned, on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
The Mustangs pushed across a run in the top of the first. Cristen Lee opened the game with a leadoff triple to right and came in to score on Melissa Pura's one-out sac fly to center to give Cal Poly a 1-0 lead.
Cal Poly extended its lead to 2-0 in the second inning when Krysten Cary hit a two-out, solo home run to left-center off Thompson. It was the first home run allowed by Thompson this season.
The Mustangs took advantage of an Auburn error to tack on another run in the fifth inning. With Lee on first after a one-out single, Pura hit a ground ball to Kyndall White at short. White's throw to second sailed wide and allowed Lee to score and give Cal Poly a 3-0 lead.
In the sixth, Cary gave the Mustangs a 4-0 lead with an RBI single up the middle. It scored Kendal Hennings who walked to open the inning and moved to second on a sac bunt by Stephanie Correia.
Two more Auburn errors in the seventh gave Cal Poly a 5-0 advantage. With Lee aboard via a leadoff single, Pura reached on a fielding error by White at shortstop which moved Lee to second. Anna Cahn then hit a ground ball that got by Megan Mitchell at third and rolled into left, allowing Lee to score.
Cal Poly made it 6-0 two batters later when Correia hit into a bases-loaded fielder's choice that brought Pura home.