March 15, 2013
Auburn, Ala. - The No. 25 Georgia Bulldogs pounded out nine runs on 10 hits to cruise to a 9-3 win over Auburn softball in the Friday night series opener.
Auburn dropped to 20-8 overall and 1-3 in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia improved to 19-7 overall and 1-0 in SEC play. The Tigers and Bulldogs continue the series at 1 p.m. Saturday.
"You're not going to win many games making six errors and leaving 10 runners on base," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "We were able to fight back a little, but the game got away from us. We're going to have to regroup and get ourselves ready to play tomorrow."
Geri Ann Glasco improved to 11-1 with the complete-game victory. Glasco allowed three runs, one earned, on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Hilary Mavromat started and took the loss to fall to 5-3. Mavromat allowed five runs, all earned, on five hits with three walks and one strikeout in two innings of work. Lexi Davis pitched the final five innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Georgia wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Paige Wilson cranked a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. It was Wilson's seventh home run of the season and it came with Anna Swafford (single) aboard.
The Bulldogs made it a 4-0 game in the third inning when Tina Iosefa hit a two-run home run over the wall in center. It was Iosefa's eighth home run of the season and it came with pinch-runner Niaja Griffin aboard. Griffin ran for Glasco who singled to right to open the inning.
Still in the third, a double by Kaylee Puailoa chased Mavromat, which brought in Davis. Tiesha Reed was put in to run for Puailoa and was moved to third on a sac bunt. Christine Olney followed with an infield single that plated Reed to make it a 5-0 game.
The Tigers mounted a two-run rally in the bottom of the third. Kelsey Bogaards reached on a fielding error by shortstop Wilson and was followed by Morgan Estell who singled to right. Glasco picked up the first out when she fanned Branndi Melero swinging. Glasco then threw a wild pitch to move Bogaards to third and Estell to second.
Brooke Lathan then dropped a 3-2 pitch into left field for a single which scored Bogaards to make it a 5-1 game. Estell moved to third on the play while Lathan took second on the relay throw. Caitlin Schultze took ball four on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases.
Emily Carosone made it a 5-2 game with a fielder's choice, which forced Schultze out at second, but scored Estell from third. Glasco was able to end the Auburn rally, however, when Tiffany Howard chopped out to second.
The Tigers continued to cut into the Georgia lead in the bottom of the fourth, scratching out a run. McKenzie Kilpatrick singled with one out and came in to score on a two-out double to the right-center gap by Estell. Kilpatrick's run made it 5-3.
The Bulldogs added to their lead in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs. Katie Browne led off with a single and was lifted for pinch-runner Katie Sowers. After a sac bunt moved Sowers to second, a two-out single by Wilson scored Sowers to make it a 6-3 game. Another two-out single, this off the bat of Glasco plated Wilson to make it a 7-3 game. Melero whiffed as she attempted to field the ball in right on Glasco's single, allowing Glasco to take third.
Iosefa followed with a hard infield single that bounced off Bogaards at short, which allowed Glasco to score easily to give the Bulldogs an 8-3 lead.
Georgia put the first two batters on in the top of the seventh as the Bulldogs took advantage of two Auburn errors. Tess Sito reached on an errant throw by Davis on a bunt and was followed by Olney whose ground ball was booted by Caitlin Jordan at first. Sito took third on the play and then came in to score on a wild pitch, making it 9-3. Davis, however, would recover and hold the Bulldogs to just one run.
The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Glasco would leave them loaded as she held the Tigers in check to end the game without a run crossing the plate.