March 19, 2011
Auburn, Ala. - Lauren Schmalz tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout and retired the last 11 consecutive batters of the game to lead the No. 23 Auburn softball team to a 3-0 victory over South Carolina Saturday afternoon. The win clinched a series victory for Auburn after the Tigers won game one Friday night.
The Tigers improved to 24-4 overall and 5-2 in the Southeastern Conference. South Carolina dropped to 16-11 overall and 3-6 in the SEC. The teams conclude the series Sunday with a 1 p.m. CT game.
"I thought our pitching and our defense were very good today," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "Lauren did a good job of attacking their hitters. Our infielders made plays behind her and really carried over the work we've done in practice. Offensively, we were able to manufacture some runs and really create some scoring opportunities."
Schmalz improved to 11-1 with the win. Schmalz scattered four hits, walked one and fanned four in throwing her sixth complete game of the season and third in SEC play. Schmalz allowed a pair of hits in the first inning, one in the second inning and one in the fourth inning, which was a one-out single. After that hit, Schmalz retired the next two South Carolina hitters to end the inning and retired the Gamecocks in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Ashley Chastain (2-1) took the loss in a complete-game effort for South Carolina. Chastain allowed three runs, all earned, on eight hits with one walk and no strikeouts.
The game marked the first time since March 24, 2007, in game two of a double-header against Mississippi State the Tigers did not have a hitter strike out against a conference opponent, a span of 107 SEC games. Against all opponents, the last time the Tigers did not have a batter strike out was on Feb. 27, 2010, against Virginia Tech, a span of 71 games.
Kyndall White delivered a two-out RBI single to right in the bottom of the first inning to get the Tigers on the scoreboard. Morgan Estell and Lauren Guzman each singled to open the Tigers' inning and moved to third and second, respectively, on a sac bunt by Amber Harrison.
After Estell was thrown out at home on ground ball to second by Elizabeth Eisterhold for the second out, White went opposite field to bring Guzman home and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
After putting up a run in the first inning, the Tigers were blanked until the sixth inning.
White reached on a bunt single with one out and moved into scoring position when she stole second base. With two outs, Kelley Smiley laced a single to left that scored White to make it a 2-0 lead for the Tigers. Smiley advanced to second on the throw home and came in to score two batters later when Caitlin Stangl looped a single to shallow center for the final 3-0 margin.