March 18, 2011
Auburn, Ala. - Freshman Morgan Estell went 3-for-3 with three RBI and a home run as the 23rd-ranked Auburn softball team cruised to a 9-1 victory over South Carolina in the Friday night series opener at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Tigers improved to 23-4 overall and 4-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The loss moved the Gamecocks to 16-10 overall and 3-5 in the SEC. Auburn and South Carolina continue its series with a 1 p.m. CT game Saturday.
"This was a good win for us after a tough midweek series," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "They came out tonight with the right frame of mind and swung the bats aggressively. Jenee did a good job against their hitters. She didn't issue a walk and kept them off balance."
For Estell, it marked the third time she has driven in at least three runs or more in an SEC game. In six conference games this season, Estell has driven in 13 runs in 16 at-bats and leads Auburn with a .500 batting average. Estell has driven in 13 of Auburn's 28 runs in SEC play.
Jenee Loree improved to 7-2 in earning the complete-game victory for Auburn. Loree allowed one run, earned, on three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Loree allowed a hit in the first inning, but then held the Gamecocks in check until the fifth.
Audrey Broyles (4-3) started and took the loss for South Carolina. Broyles allowed two runs, both earned, on five hits with a walk in three innings of work. April Borchardt followed with one and one-third innings of work, allowing four runs, two earned, on three hits. Kierstyn White was the third Gamecocks' pitcher of the night, allowing three runs, all unearned, in one-third of an inning.
Estell put the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff home run over scoreboard in left-center. It was Estell's fifth home run of the season and the third straight game the freshman has gone yard.
Estell picked up her second RBI of the game to give Auburn a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Caitlin Stangl reached on a fielder's choice and then moved into scoring position when she stole second base. Estell followed with a sharp single to left that scored Stangl for the two-run Auburn lead.
Elizabeth Eisterhold gave the Tigers a three run cushion in the fourth inning. Katie Colton opened the bottom half of the fourth with a double off the wall in left-center. Eisterhold followed with a line drive single to left that brought Colton home for a 3-0 Auburn lead.
South Carolina took advantage of a wild pitch to score its first run of the game. The Gamecocks got a single to left from P.J. Fulmer, a hit-by-pitch to Samie Garcia and an infield single by Hannah Milks to load the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth. Loree's first pitch to Dana Hathorn was wide right of home plate and allowed Jackie Slawson, who pinch-ran for Fulmer, to score to make it a 3-1 game.
With runners at second and third, Loree ran the count full on Hathorn before forcing a ground out to second to end the inning.
The Tigers broke the game open and ended the evening early on the eight-run mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lauren Guzman reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second when Kelsey Cartwright's pop-up to third was dropped, allowing Cartwright to reach on an error. Kelley Smiley followed with a single back up the middle to score Guzman and give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.
Colton followed Smiley with single up the middle to score Cartwright for a 5-1 advantage. A ground out to short by Eisterhold moved Colton to second and kept Smiley at third with two outs. Pinch-hitter Hilary Mavromat then delivered a two-run single to right that scored Colton and Smiley to push the Auburn lead to 7-1.
Estell then drove in her third run of the night with a single that scored Stangl, who re-entered after Mavromat pinch-hit for her, and extended the Auburn lead to 8-1. Kyndall White followed with a ground ball that Garcia booted at shortstop, allowing Estell to motor around third and score the game-ending run.