Feb. 17, 2011
Auburn, Ala. - The Auburn softball team got back-to-back home runs from Kelsey Cartwright and Elizabeth Eisterhold and fought off a seventh-inning rally to defeat McNeese State 7-5 Thursday night.
Auburn improved to 5-0 on the season while McNeese State dropped to 1-5. Lauren Schmalz started and earned the win to improve to 3-0. Schmalz allowed five runs, all earned, on seven hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.
Jenee Loree earned her first save of the season after recording the final two outs in the seventh, both soft liners back to Loree.
Meagan Bond (1-3) took the loss after allowing three runs, all earned, on three hits with one walk in 1.0 inning of work.
Auburn will now host the Tiger Invitational this weekend. Auburn opens play in the tournament with a pair of games Friday, playing Southern Miss at 12:30 p.m. and Campbell at 3 p.m. Auburn will play one game Saturday, a 12:30 p.m. tilt against Western Illinois. The Tigers close the tournament with a 2 p.m. game Sunday against Western Carolina.
McNeese State jumped on the scoreboard first when Molly Guidry ripped a two-out, solo home run to straight-away center in the top of the first inning. It was Guidry's first home run of the season and it gave the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the first inning. Kyndall White drew a one-out walk and came around to tie the game on a double to the gap in right-center from Lauren Guzman. It was Guzman's sixth RBI of the season.
The Cowgirls reclaimed the lead in the top of the second inning. Danni Price walked to open the inning and moved to first to third on a single up the middle by Katie Shumaker. Katie Roux then lofted a sac fly to right that plated Price to give McNeese State a 2-1 lead.
Once again the Tigers quickly erased the deficit as Cartwright unloaded on the first pitch she saw to open the bottom of the second inning for solo home run to left. It was Cartwright's third home run of the season and was immediately followed by Eisterhold's first home run of the season that cleared the wall in center and gave Auburn a 3-2 lead. It was Auburn's first back-to-back home runs of the season.
Auburn took advantage of a McNeese State error to pad its lead in the fourth inning. Eisterhold singled to open the bottom of the fourth and was lifted for pinch-runner Caitlin Stangl. With one out, Katie Colton was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second.
Kelley Smiley then hit a chopper that shortstop Guidry fielded clean, but threw wildly to third on a force play. Stangl came around to score for a 4-2 lead. Smiley advanced to second on the play and came around to score on a single to right by Morgan Estell that pushed the Auburn lead to 5-2.
In the sixth inning, Smiley singled off the pitcher with two outs and came in to score on a double by Estell. Estell took third on the throw home and came in to score when the catcher threw wild to third, giving Auburn a 7-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Guidry ripped her second home run of the game, a three-run shot, to cut the Auburn lead to 7-5. Schmalz walked leadoff batter Alanna Divittorio and gave up a single to Claire Terracina. After a strikeout, Guidry drilled a pitch over the wall in center.
Loree relived Schmalz after the home run and quickly retired Stacey Conley and Kim Kennedy to end the game.