Feb. 25, 2012
Boca Raton, Fla. - The No. 24/19 Auburn softball got a 13-strikeout performance from Jenee Loree and a late game-winning RBI from Brooke Lathan to sweep the second day of competition at the Strike Out Cancer Tournament. Auburn defeated Michigan State 4-1 and Florida International 2-1 to improve to 13-0 on the season.
"Jenee had a very good performance against Michigan State," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "They had just one hit in the last four innings and she made our lead hold up. Brooke really came through for us against Florida International. She had the big two-out hit when we really needed it. Angel (Bunner) did a good job after they scored the first run. She didn't let them put anything else together offensively."
Auburn concludes play in the Strike Out Cancer Tournament at noon CT against Loyola Marymount.
Against Florida International, Lathan drove in the game-winning run with a two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth as the Tigers defeated the Panthers 2-1.
Angel Bunner (3-0) tossed a complete-game, allowing just one run, unearned, on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Bunner did not allow a runner past first base after the second inning.
Florida International jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, taking advantage of an Auburn error. With two outs, Beth Peller doubled in the gap to right-center and came in to score when Maris Medina allowed a ground ball off the bat of Jenny Welch to scoot past her at third and roll into the gap at short.
Lauren Guzman delivered a two-out RBI single to left in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 1-1. Amber Harrison reached on a one-out single to left and moved to second on a ground out to third by Morgan Estell. Guzman followed with the game-tying single.
The Tigers broke the tie with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a double-play eliminated Guzman who led off the frame with single, Elizabeth Eisterhold drew a two-out walk. On a 1-0 pitch, Lathan laced a triple to the gap in right-center. Eisterhold tumbled into home for the go-ahead run. Lathan was tagged out at home attempting to score on a high throw to the catcher.
In the top of the seventh, Bunner retired leadoff hitter Brie Rojas on a fly ball to center. Bunner then forced Jes Alfonso to pop up to Guzman at short on the first pitch for the second out of the inning. FIU put the tying runner on when Beth Peller blooped a 1-1 pitch into left, just out of the reach of Baylee Stephens.
With the tying run at first, Bunner forced pinch-hitter Shelby Graves to fly out to Stephens in left to end the game.
Against Michigan State, pitcher Jenee Loree struck out a career high 13 batters to lead the Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Spartans. Auburn improved to 12-0 with the win, Michigan State dropped to 2-8.
Loree improved to 4-0 in the complete-game victory. Loree allowed one run, unearned, on three hits with two walks. Loree struck out six consecutive hitters from third through the fifth innings and fanned 10 of the final 16 hitters of the game. The 13 strikeouts surpassed Loree's previous career high of 10 set against Oklahoma State on March 5, 2011.
The Tigers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Caitlin Jordan cranked a one-out, two-run homer to center in the top of the first inning. It was Jordan's fourth home run of the season and it came with Morgan Estell (HBP) aboard.
The Spartans answered in the bottom of the first when Ali Grant doubled home Lori Padilla to make it a 2-1 game. Padilla reached on an error to open the Spartan half of the first and moved to second on a sac bunt by Kylene Hopkins.
Estell gave Auburn a 3-1 lead in the top of the second inning with an infield single in the hole at short that scored Caitlin Schultze. Schultze reached on a two-out single and moved to second when Baylee Stephens was hit by a pitch. A passed ball moved the runners up and was followed by Estell's RBI single.
The Tigers tacked on a run in the top of the fifth. Jordan reached on a one-out walk and came around to score on a two-out double to left by Brooke Lathan. Jordan's run made it a 4-1 lead for the Tigers. Loree would make the lead hold over the final three innings to notch her fourth win of the season.