March 19, 2013
Auburn, Ala. - The Auburn softball team was unable to overcome an early deficit as the Tigers lost 6-3 to the Florida State Seminoles Tuesday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
Auburn dropped to 20-11 overall, while Florida State improved to 24-9. Auburn will next travel to Tuscaloosa for a three-game weekend series against No. 4 Alabama. Saturday's game will air on CSS while Sunday's game will air on ESPNU.
"I thought we came out pretty well, Marcy had her pitches working the first couple of innings," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "She lost command a little in the third but she was able to regroup and keep us in the game for the most part. Branndi (Melero) had a big hit to get us back in the game but we couldn't get that last run to tie it up. We'll go back to work tomorrow and start preparing for our series against Alabama."
Marcy Harper (10-5) went the distance for Auburn, allowing six runs, all earned, on eight hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. Florida State scored five of its six runs on home runs.
Monica Perry started and earned the win to improve to 13-6. Perry allowed three runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings of work. Lacey Waldrop earned her second save, tossing one and one-third hitless ball to seal the victory.
Auburn put the first two batters on in the bottom of the second. Brooke Lathan singled to right field and was followed by Caitlin Jordan who drew a walk. Jordan Rocker was put in to run for Jordan. A passed ball with one out moved Lathan to third and Rocker to second. Perry was able to work out of the jam, however, when Maris Medina popped up to Victoria East at first. East caught the short pop-up and fired to third to double-off Lathan and end the inning.
The Seminoles put up a crooked number in the top of the fourth. Consecutive walks to Bailey Schinella and Kaitlin Allen gave FSU runners at second and first to open the inning. Alex Kossoff was put in to run for Schinella. On a 2-1 pitch, East crushed a home run to left-center to give Florida State a 3-0 lead. It was East's second home run of the season. With one out in the inning, Maddie O'Brien tripled to right field to score Courtney Senas (walk) and push the FSU lead to 4-0.
After leaving two runners on in the bottom of the second, the Tigers were unable to mount a scoring threat as Perry retired nine straight before a leadoff single from Tiffany Howard in the bottom of the sixth. Morgan Estell followed with a fielder's choice that forced Howard at second for the first out of the inning.
Branndi Melero then laced a home run over the wall in right-center to cut the Seminoles' lead in half at 4-2. It was Melero's seventh home run of the season. Emily Carosone followed with a double down the first base line. Perry was able to pick up the second out on a swinging strike three of Caitlin Schultze. Lathan then made it a 4-3 game with a double to the wall in left, plating Carosone. Lathan's double chased Perry and brought in Waldrop, who ended the rally on a swinging strikeout of Caitlin Jordan.
The Seminoles added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. East doubled with one out and came in to score on a two-out home run by Kelly Hensley. It was Hensley's 10th home run of the season and it gave Florida State a 6-3 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Waldrop fanned Stephens on three pitches for the first out of the inning. Jade Rhodes followed with a fly out to left for the second out and Waldrop was able to end the game on a swinging strikeout of pinch-hitter Austyn West.