May 21, 2011
Seattle, Wash. - Five Auburn errors led to every run for Brigham Young as the Cougars eliminated the 21st-ranked Tigers' softball team from the NCAA Seattle Regional in a 4-3 victory Friday night.
Auburn finishes the 2011 season with a 40-19 overall record. BYU improved to 40-7 overall and will play Washington in the regional championship Saturday and will need to beat the Huskies twice.
"I'm proud of the way we came back and tied the game after falling behind," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "It looked like we had gained the momentum then but the defensive mistakes cost us. BYU took advantage of what we gave them."
Jenee Loree took the loss in relief to fall to 9-6. Loree allowed one run (unearned) on one hit in three and one-third innings. Loree walked two and struck out two. Lauren Schmalz started and went two and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs (all unearned) on four hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Paige Affleck improved to 26-12 with the complete-game win. Affleck allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in seven innings.
BYU took advantage of two Auburn errors to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and Tiffany Messerschmidt (single) at first, Jessica Fitu hit a ground ball up the middle that Lauren Guzman misplayed and let roll into center. Caitlin Stangl then booted the ball, allowing Messerschmidt to score all the way from first.
Auburn's third error of the game would lead to two runs for BYU in the third inning. With one out, JC Clayton reached on a throwing error by Kyndall White at third. Following a line out to right, Caschjen Atagi drilled a two-run home run over the wall in left for a 3-0 BYU lead.
Still in the third, Schmalz gave up a walk to Delaney Willard and a double to Carly Duckworth to put runners at third and second. Loree was then brought in and got out of the jam by forcing Stacie Graham to foul out to Katie Colton on sliding catch for third out.
The Tigers tied the game in the fifth. With two outs, Morgan Estell singled and was followed by Guzman who hit a bloop single to left. Estell took third on the play and Guzman followed into second on the relay throw. On a 2-2 pitch, Kelsey Cartwright drilled a double to the gap in left-center to score both runners and make it a 3-2 game.
Kyndall White followed with a ground ball down the first base line that Stacie Graham booted into foul territory for an error. Cartwright, running all the way, never slowed and scored easily to tie the game at 3-3.
BYU scored the game-winning run on two Auburn errors in the bottom of the sixth inning. Stacie Graham singled to open the bottom of the sixth. Jessica Dugas followed with a sac bunt that White fielded, but threw wildly to first. Graham took third on the throwing error. On the same play, Estell retrieved the errant throw in right field and fired to third attempting to put out Graham. The throw was off target and skipped into foul territory in left. Graham scored easily to give BYU a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Affleck set the Tigers down in order on a pair of ground outs and a strikeout looking to end the game.