March 2, 2013
Auburn, Ala. - Auburn softball earned a two-game split Saturday defeating Charlotte 2-1 and losing to Minnesota 4-3 in eight innings. Auburn (15-5) closes out the War Eagle Classic with a 2 p.m. game Sunday against Southern University.
"We had two really good games today," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "We had a nice rally in the first game and came up just a hit or two short in the second game. I'm proud of the way we kept fighting and giving ourselves a chance. Our pitchers did a good job in both games. I'm proud of Marcy (Harper) and Hilary (Mavromat)."
In the second game of the day, Auburn rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to complete the comeback as Minnesota (9-7) hung on for a 4-3 win in eight innings.
Hilary Mavromat started and took the loss to fall to 5-1. Mavromat allowed four runs, two earned, on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Sara Moulton improved to 9-4 with the complete-game win. Moulton allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-out single by Bree Blanchette that scored Erica Meyer. Meyer reached on a one-out walk and stole second to move into scoring position.
The Golden Gophers made it 2-0 when Tyler Walker crushed a leadoff home run in the second inning. It was Walker's third home run of the season and it came on a 0-1 pitch.
The Tigers mounted a scoring threat in the bottom of the fourth. Branndi Melero singled to open the inning but was out on a fielder's choice by Brooke Lathan. Emily Carosone reached on a fielding error to put runners at second and third with one out. Caitlin Jordan followed with a hard lineout to Kaitlyn Richardson at third who fired to second in time to double-off Lathan to end the inning.
The Tigers got some seventh-inning magic for the second time in the day when Austyn West hit a game-tying, two-run homer over the wall in left. It was West's second home run of the season and it came with pinch-runner Tiffany Howard aboard. Howard ran for Caitlin Schultze who reached on an infield single. Baylee Stephens followed with a single and McKenzie Kilpatrick drew a walk to put runners at second and first.
Minnesota picked up the second out when Stephens was forced out at third on a fielder's choice off the bat of Estell. The Gophers sent the game to extra innings when Kilpatrick was thrown out at home attempting to score on a single to right by Melero.
In the top of the eighth with the international tiebreaker in play, Tyler Walker doubled to center to score Sydney Fabian from second for a 3-2 Minnesota lead. A passed ball moved Walker to third. Richardson then hit a ground ball that Kelsey Bogaards caught, dropped and recovered to fire to first in time for the out but Jordan dropped the throw, allowing Richardson to reach. Walker scored on the play to give Minnesota a 4-2 edge.
In the bottom of the eight with Melero at second base, Lathan lined out to second for the first out of the inning. Carosone ground out to second for the second out of the inning, which also moved Melero to third. Jordan then hit a ground ball that shortstop Walker booted, allowing Jordan to reach and Melero to score to make it 4-3. Moulton ended the Auburn rally, however, when she fanned Tiffany Howard on a swinging third strike to end the game.
In the first game of the day, Branndi Melero doubled home Morgan Estell with two outs in the top of the seventh to lift the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over Charlotte (7-5).
Marcy Harper improved to 6-2 with the complete-game victory. Harper set a season high for Auburn pitchers with nine strikeouts. Harper allowed one run, earned, on two hits with three walks.
Katie Watkins took the loss to fall to 4-5. Watkins started and went the distance, allowing two runs, both earned, on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
The Tigers jumped on top in the top of the first inning. Emily Carosone picked up her 22nd RBI of the season with a two-out single that plated Melero (single) to give Auburn a 1-0 lead.
The 49ers tied the game in the bottom of the second inning. Samantha Slade drew a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position when she stole second base. After a strikeout, Kalie Lang drilled a hard single to left-center to bring Slade home and even the game at 1-1.
After scoring early, the bats went silent as each pitcher found a groove. Harper allowed just one hit after the second inning. Harper registered six strikeouts in that five-inning span. Watkins was just as tough, allowing one two-out hit after the second inning until the Tigers' rally in the seventh.
The Tigers broke the tie in the top of the seventh. Morgan Estell laced a double to the wall in center with two outs and came in to score on Melero's double to the wall in left-center to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Melero's double came on a 3-2 pitch after she had fouled three pitches off.
In the bottom of the seventh, Harper retired the 49ers in order including making a sliding catch on a short pop up for the final out to end the game.