Feb. 10, 2013
Auburn, Ala. - The Auburn softball team completed a perfect weekend with a pair of wins in the final day of the Plainsman Invitational. Auburn defeated Army 8-0 in the first game and Austin Peay 9-1 in the last game of the day.
Auburn improved to 5-0 and will next host Samford on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m.
"This was a solid start to the season," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "I thought our pitching improved from Friday. Our offense was clicking and you could certainly see our team speed in play. Morgan Estell continues to have a good start to the season. We are running really well and getting hits when we need them."
In game two, Branndi Melero drove in three runs to help lead the Tigers to a 9-1 win over Austin Peay.
Hilary Mavromat (1-0) earned the complete-game win. Mavromat allowed one run, unearned, on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts in five innings of work.
Morgan Brewer (1-2) started and took the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned, in three innings.
Auburn took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Morgan Estell opened the game with a triple off the wall in center and came in to score on a ground ball to second off the bat of Branndi Melero. Melero was safe as Laurel Burroughs booted the ball at second.
Brooke Lathan followed with a ground ball that went through third baseman Niya Sparks' legs, but hit off her foot (an error) and rolled into foul territory down the line. Melero scored on the play giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
Austin Peay responded in the bottom half of the first, pushing one run across. Marissa Lake walked to open the frame and advanced two bases when Caitlin Jordan failed to field a throw from shortstop on a ground ball by Jessica Ryan. With two outs in the inning, Kayla Davidson singled to left to plate Lake and make it 2-1.
Auburn increased its lead to 5-1 in the top of the second inning, scoring every run with two outs. McKenzie Kilpatrick led off with a single to left and took second on a sac bunt by Tiffany Howard. With two outs, Melero laced a single to right that plated Kilpatrick. Lathan followed with single to center that scored Melero from first to give Auburn a 4-1 edge. Caitlin Jordan made it 5-1 with a single to center that scored Lathan from second.
Kilpatrick gave Auburn a 6-1 lead with an RBI double in the top of the third. With one out, Mavromat singled and was lifted for pinch-runner Kristyn Richards. Kilpatrick followed with a double off the wall in left that scored Richards for a five-run cushion.
Still in the third, Howard crushed a hard single through the right side to score Kilpatrick and extend the Auburn lead to 7-1.
In the fifth inning, Howard reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a single to left by Estell. On the play, the left fielder dropped the ball attempting to field it, allowing the runners to advance. Melero followed with an RBI ground out to second, scoring Howard for an 8-1 lead. Lathan followed with a single to right to score Estell and make it a 9-1 game.
Austin Peay failed to score in the bottom half of the fifth to end the game on the mercy rule.
In game one, the Tigers scored eight runs on four hits as freshman pitcher Lexi Davis tossed a five-inning no-hitter against Army (2-3). Davis improved to 2-0, issuing four walks and striking out five.
Morgan Lashley (1-3) took the loss for Army after allowing eight runs, all earned, on four hits with seven walks and three strikeouts in three and one-third innings of work.
Auburn took the early lead, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. Morgan Estell drew a leadoff walk and beat the throw to second on a fielder's choice ground ball by Branndi Melero. A double steal put runners on third and second with no outs. A passed ball that skirted under the catcher and to the backstop brought Estell home for a 1-0 Auburn lead.
With one out, a wild pitch moved Caitlin Schultze (walk) to second but Melero was unable to advance home on the play. Caitlin Jordan took ball four on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. On a 0-1 pitch, Emily Carosone ripped a grand slam over the wall in left to give Auburn a 5-0 lead. It was Carosone's second home run of the season.
Auburn increased its lead in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Estell was hit by a pitch. Melero then hit a chopper to short, beating a late throw that sailed wide of the bag. Estell was able to score from second on the play as the ball rolled into foul territory, giving Auburn a 6-0 lead. Melero took second on the play and came in to score on a double to left by Brooke Lathan, making it 7-0.
The Tigers made it 8-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Kristyn Richards drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a single to right by Lathan. Richards went first to third on the single. As the relay throw went to third, Lathan went to second but was out on the play, Richards raced home during the play at second to score the Tigers' eighth run of the game.