Feb. 26, 2011
Auburn, Ala. - The Auburn softball team improved to 14-0 with a pair of wins Saturday at the War Eagle Classic. The Tigers defeated Marshall 8-1 and Murray State 14-2.
Auburn closes the War Eagle Classic with a 2 p.m. game Sunday against Middle Tennessee.
Against Marshall, Auburn used a four-run rally in the fourth inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit and pull away with an 8-1 victory over the Thundering Herd. Lauren Guzman and Kyndall White each drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers.
Angel Bunner earned the win to improve to 4-0. Bunner started and went 4.1 innings, allowing one run (earned) on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Lauren Schmalz earned her first save of the season after closing the final 2.2 innings without allowing a walk or a hit and striking out one.
The Thundering Herd scored the first run of the day when Alysia Hively launched a lead-off home run to open the top of the third inning. It was Hively's second home run of the season and sailed over the scoreboard in left-center to give Marshall a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers rallied in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead. Katie Colton reached on a bunt single to open the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. Caitlin Schultze dropped a sac bunt down the third base line that Jazmine Valle fielded and fired to second baseman Amanda Lara covering first. But Lara missed the throw and the ball rolled into right field, allowing Colton to score and Schultze to reach third. Colton's run tied the game at 1-1.
Morgan Estell made it runners on first and third after drawing a walk. Lauren Guzman then laced a double to left-center that scored Schultze and Estell to give Auburn a 3-1 lead. Kyndall White made it consecutive doubles to left-center as she laced a 2-2 pitch into the gap to score Guzman and give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Marshall chased Bunner from the game following a walk that loaded the bases with one out. Schmalz entered the game and promptly forced Alianna Telles to hit into an inning-ending double-play to preserve the 4-1 Auburn lead.
Schultze extended the Auburn lead in the fifth inning with an RBI double to center that scored pinch-runner Baylee Stephens. Elizabeth Eisterhold singled with one out and was lifted for Stephens who moved to second on Colton's sac bunt. Schultze followed with her second double of the season to score Stephens and push the lead to 5-1.
White gave the Tigers a 6-1 lead with an RBI single in the sixth inning. With one out, Guzman doubled off the wall in right and came around to score on White's single to right. It was White's second RBI of the day. After a ground out moved White to third, Cartwright walked and stole second. The throw to second was wide and allowed White to score and Cartwright to third. The relay throw from center fielder Taylor Thompson was wild and allowed Cartwright to score, making it the 8-1 final.
In game two, the Tigers pounded out 14 runs on eight hits to cruise to a 14-2 victory over Murray State.
Angel Bunner earned the win in relief to improve to 5-0. Bunner pitched 3.1 innings, allowing just two walks and striking out two. Lauren Schmalz started and went 1.2 innings, allowing two runs, both earned, on four hits with one walk.
Chelsey Sullivan took the loss to fall to 1-1. Sullivan allowed seven runs, two earned, on five hits with five walks and five strikeouts.
Kelsey Cartwright's bases-loaded triple off the wall in center gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Lauren Guzman reached on fielding error with one out and stole second. Consecutive walks to Amber Harrison and Elizabeth Eisterhold loaded the bases for Cartwright who launched her first career triple to center for the early Auburn lead.
Murray State made it a 3-1 game in the bottom of the first inning when Stephanie Mattocks singled home Jenna Bradley from second. Bradley doubled with two outs to set up the Racers' first run of the game.
The Racers made it a 3-2 game with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Meghan Sims was hit by a pitch and moved to third on Leslie Bridges' single. On an attempted double steal, Sims was thrown out at home and Bridges moved to second. A walk to Madysen Wilton put runners at first and second and a foul out moved Bridges to third. Meghan Glosser followed with a bunt single that scored Bridges to make it a one-run game. Following a hit batter that loaded the bases, Schmalz was pulled for Bunner who forced a pop up to short to end the inning.
Eisterhold gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead in the top of the third on an RBI ground out. It scored Kyndall White who singled with one out and moved to third on Harrison's double.
Guzman made it a 5-2 game in the top of the fourth. Hilary Mavromat singled and was lifted for pinch-runner Baylee Stephens who stole second. With two outs, Guzman laced a double to center that scored Stephens to give Auburn a three-run cushion. Guzman was out attempting to stretch the hit to a triple to end the inning.
A bases-loaded, two-out error on Murray State second baseman Lauren Buch gave the Tigers two additional runs in the top of the fifth. Buch misplayed a ground ball by Mavromat and allowed Harrison (walk) and Eisterhold (walk) to score to make it 7-2.
In the seventh, Guzman pushed the Auburn lead to 8-2 with a triple to right that scored Caitlin Stangl, who singled to open the frame. After walks to White and Harrison to load the bases, Cartwright was hit by a pitch to force home Guzman and make it a 9-2 game. A walk to Schultze forced White home to make it a 10-2 lead. Mavromat followed with a grand slam that made it 14-2.