March 2, 2012
Kissimmee, Fla. - The No. 19/17 Auburn softball team split its first day of play at the Citrus Classic, defeating Syracuse 5-0 and losing to No. 16/15 Michigan 5-0.
Auburn's record moved to 15-1 with the split. The Tigers' 15 game winning streak tied the program record set by the 2011 team. The Tigers will play No. 24 North Carolina at 9 a.m. CT and then play No. 14/16 UCLA at 11:15 a.m. CT.
"We had some chances against Michigan tonight," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "We were able to get a few runners on base but just couldn't get that hit to drive them in. Angel (Bunner) pitched a great game against Syracuse. We've got to put these behind us and be ready to go at it early tomorrow."
In the second game of the day, Michigan took advantage of a pair of errors to plate two insurance runs in the seventh inning and the Tigers left five runners on base as the Wolverines won 4-0.
Jenee Loree stated and took the loss to fall to 5-1. Loree allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits in six and one-third innings. Loree struck out four and walked one.
Haylie Wagner threw a complete-game shutout to improve to 9-1. Wagner gave up four hits in seven innings, walked one and struck out three.
After stranding runners in the top of the third, the Wolverines broke through in the fourth when Wagner cranked a one-out, solo homer to left to give Michigan a 1-0 lead. It was Wagner's first home run of the season.
The Tigers put two on with one out in the bottom of the fourth when Elizabeth Eisterhold walked and was followed by a single to left by Brooke Lathan. A fielder's choice off the bat of Hilary Mavromat moved Eisterhold to third and forced Lathan out at second. With runners on the corners and two out, Baylee Stephens popped up to second to end the inning.
The Wolverines got a leadoff home run from Kirkpatrick in the fifth inning to take a 2-0 lead. It was Kirkpatrick's first home run of the season and came on a 2-0 pitch from Loree.
After stranding runners in the second, third and fourth innings, the Tigers were set down in order in the fifth and sixth innings.
A pair of errors by the Tigers gave Michigan two runs in the top of the seventh. Bree Evans' slap hit down the first base line with two on was fielded by Loree, but the throw was dropped by Caitlin Jordan at first to load the bases. Loree was lifted for Schmalz who got a quick strikeout for the second out of the inning.
Schmalz appeared to work out of the jam when she forced Amanda Chidester into a ground ball to second, but Lathan booted the grounder which allowed Kirkpatrcik (single) and Lyndsay Doyle (walk) to score to give Michigan a 4-0 edge.
Despite getting a one-out single from Mavromat in the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers were unable to mount a rally as the Wolverines handed the Tigers their first loss of the season.
Against Syracuse, Auburn pitcher Angel Bunner tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out eight, as the Tigers cruised to a 5-0 victory. The win moved Auburn to 15-0 and tied the program record for longest winning streak set by the 2011 Tigers.
Bunner improved to 5-0 as the senior did not issue a walk and did not allow a base runner, or hit, till the fifth inning. Bunner has now gone her last 22.0 innings of work without allowing an earned run.
Lindsay Taylor (1-1) started and took the loss after allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits in three innings of work.
Bunner was in control from the start, striking out the side in order in the top of the first inning. Through the first four innings of play, Bunner threw 43 pitches with 32 strikes and did not allow a Syracuse hitter to bat the ball out of the infield.
The Tigers took advantage of a Syracuse error to ignite a five-run rally in the bottom of the third. Amber Harrison doubled to open the frame. With one out, Lauren Guzman chopped a ground ball to third baseman Carey-Leigh Thomas who fired to the shortstop covering third, in an attempt to get Harrison, but the throw was wild, allowing Harrison to score and Guzman to advance to second.
Guzman's fielder's choice was followed by a walk to Caitlin Jordan, who was lifted for Kristyn Richards, and a single to right by Elizabeth Eisterhold to load the bases. Brooke Lathan then laced a single to right that scored Guzman and Richards to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. A passed ball followed and allowed Eisterhold to score from third for a 4-0 lead. With two outs Hilary Mavromat laced an infield single off the third baseman's glove to score Lathan and give the Tigers a 5-0 lead.
Syracuse broke up the perfect game and no-hitter in the top of the fifth. Lacey Kohl led off and reached on an error by Guzman at short. Thomas followed with a bloop single to shallow center to put runners at second and first with no outs. Bunner, however, did not let the `Cuse mount a rally as she fanned the next two hitters and forced a soft line-out to Jordan at first to end the inning without a runner advancing to third.
The Tigers would be unable to add to their lead after the five-run outburst in the third inning and Bunner kept Syracuse in check over the sixth and seventh innings for the final 5-0 victory.