April 6, 2011
Auburn, Ala. - The No. 22 Auburn softball team split a doubleheader against Mercer Wednesday night, winning game two 5-0 and losing game one 3-0.
Auburn's record went to 30-8 overall, while Mercer's moved to 21-15 with the split. The Tigers return to action this weekend with a three game series against Mississippi State in Starkville. Game one Friday is set for a 5 p.m. CT first pitch.
"Obviously we aren't happy splitting these games, but I was proud of the way the team blocked that first game out and focused on the second game," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "Angel and Lauren did a good job pitching today, but we have to come out with intensity every inning. This is going to be tough series this weekend and we will have to be at our best."
In game two, Caitlin Schultze provided a two-run homer and pitcher Angel Bunner threw her fourth shutout of the season as Auburn won 5-0.
Bunner improved to 10-3 with the complete-game win, her eighth complete game of the season. Bunner scattered five hits and did not allow Mercer's first hit until a one-out single in the sixth inning. Bunner walked one and struck out five.
Jenni Holtz started and took the loss to fall to 10-8. Holtz allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits in four and one-third innings.
Auburn took advantage of a Mercer error to plate its first run of the game. Kelsey Cartwright singled to open the bottom of the second and moved to second base on Amber Harrison's sac bunt. On an 11-pitch at-bat, Kyndall White hit a line drive to Anna Johnson in left. Johnson missed the line drive as the ball hit and rolled to the wall, allowing Cartwright to score from second for a 1-0 Auburn lead.
Caitlin Schultze gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Katie Colton walked to open the inning and was followed by Schultze who launched her second home run of the season, and second of her career, over the wall in left-center.
Still in the fifth, following a strikeout, Morgan Estell doubled to right and came in to score on Lauren Guzman's double to center to push the Auburn lead to 4-0. Guzman moved to third on a ground out by Hilary Mavromat and crossed home plate on Kelsey Cartwright's line drive single to center. Guzman's run gave the Tigers a 5-0 lead.
With the Tigers holding a five run lead, the Bears got three singles in the top of the seventh to load the bases with two outs. The game ended, however, when Sarah Santana took two pitches and was ruled out by the umpires after the coaching staff did not re-enter her into the game. Santana was lifted for pinch-runner earlier in the game.
In game one, Auburn left nine runners on base and committed two errors as the Mercer Bears claimed a 3-0 victory.
Lauren Schmalz started and took the loss to fall 12-3. Schmalz went the distance, allowing three runs, only one earned, on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Kari Chambers started and earned the win to improve to 10-7. Chambers allowed five hits, walked one and fanned four in five and two-thirds innings of work. Jenni Holtz earned her first save, going the final one and one-third innings without allowing a hit and walking one.
After four scoreless innings which saw the Tigers leave six on base, the Mercer Bears scored the first runs of the game in the top of the fifth. With one out, Kristin Marko singled sharply back up the middle for Mercer's first hit of the game. A passed ball moved pinch-runner Stephanie Canara to second.
Randi Rea then hit a ground ball to Lauren Guzman at short, but Guzman was unable to field the ball as Canara ran directly in front of her. Canara reached third and Rea was safe at first on an error. After Rea stole second base, Sarah Santana then put down a perfect squeeze bunt that scored Canara for a 1-0 Mercer lead.
Rea advanced to third on the squeeze and then came in to score on another squeeze bunt, this time from Anna Johnson which gave the Bears a 2-0 edge.
A pair of Auburn mistakes gave the Bears their third run of the game. McKenzie Woody reached on a throwing error by Kyndall White to open the sixth inning. With one out, Kassie Bailey put down a sac bunt which rolled slowly to White at third and allowed Woody to advance to third on the throw.
With Sara Stukes at the plate, catcher Elizabeth Eisterhold lost hold of a pitch from Schmalz and the ball rolled to the backstop, allowing Woody to score for a 3-0 Mercer lead.
The Tigers put runners on with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Katie Colton drew a two-out walk after holding her swing on a 3-2 pitch. Hilary Mavromat followed with a hard single through the right side of the infield to put runners at second and first. Baylee Stephens came in to run for Mavromat and Holtz relieved Chambers. The Tigers would leave the runners stranded, however, as Caitlin Stangl grounded out back to Holtz to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Morgan Estell drew a leadoff walk, but after a strikeout of White, Guzman hit into a game-ending double play to give Mercer its third consecutive win at Jane B. Moore Field.