March 8, 2013
Auburn, Ala. - The fourth-ranked Florida Gators broke open a close game with an eight-run fourth inning to claim a 13-0 victory over the Auburn softball team Friday night in the series opener at Jane B. Moore Field.
Auburn dropped to 17-6 overall, 0-1 in the Southeastern Conference. Florida improved to 24-1 overall and 1-0 in the SEC. The Tigers and Gators continue the series at 1 p.m. Saturday.
"It was a manageable game until they got a couple of big hits in the fourth inning," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "We were able to put runners on base but we couldn't get a hit or two to bring anyone home. We're going to have to come out tomorrow with a lot of fight in us."
Hannah Rogers started and earned the win to improve to 12-1. Rogers went four innings scattering two hits, walking one, hitting two batters and striking out six. Alyssa Bache pitched the fifth inning, allowing one hit and one walk.
Hilary Mavromat started and took the loss to fall to 5-2. Mavromat allowed seven runs, all earned, on seven hits with three walks, two hit batters and two strikeouts in three and one-third innings. Lexi Davis pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing five runs, all earned, on three hits with three walks and one strikeout. Tiffany Howard pitched one inning allowing one run, earned, no hits with two walks.
The Gators pushed across the first run of the game in the top of the second. Briana Little led off with a double and was followed by a one-out walk to Stephanie Tofft and Taylor Schwarz who was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Taylore Fuller then hit a hard line drive off Emily Carosone's glove at third. Carosone recovered to get the force out at third, but Little scored easily to make it 1-0 Florida.
Florida increased its lead in the top of the third inning. Kirsti Merritt was hit by a pitch to open the inning and took second on a single by Lauren Haeger. Little followed with a single down the left field line which plated Merritt for a 2-0 Gators' lead. With runners at first and second, Kelsey Horton put down a sac bunt to move the runners up. Tofft made it a 4-0 game with a hard-hit double to right field, scoring Haeger and Little.
Haeger broke the game open for the Gators in the top of the fourth inning. With Kelsey Stewart (walk) and Merritt (single) aboard with one out, Haeger cranked a three-run home run on the first pitch of the at-bat to give Florida a 7-0 lead. The homer was her seventh home run of the season and chased Mavromat from the game. Davis entered and issued a walk to Little, allowed a single to Horton followed by consecutive walks to Tofft and Schwarz, the latter pushing Little home for an 8-0 deficit.
After Davis fanned Fuller for the second out, pinch-hitter Bailey Castro crushed a grand slam home run over the scoreboard and into the pines behind left-centerfield, giving the Gators a 12-0 lead.
The Tigers mounted a scoring threat in the bottom of the fourth. Carosone reached on a one-out single in the hole at shortstop. Caitlin Schultze and Caitlin Jordan were each hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rogers picked up the second out when she fanned pinch-hitter Austyn West. Rogers worked out of the jam when Kelsey Bogaards ground out back to Rogers on the first pitch to end the inning.
Florida added to its lead in the top of the fifth. Howard relieved Davis to start the inning in the circle, and after registering the first out hit Little and walked Horton. After a fly out to right moved the runners up, a wild pitch to Schwarz scored Little for a 13-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers put Branndi Melero (fielder's choice) and Brooke Lathan (single) aboard with two outs. But Bach ended the game when Carosone grounded out to shortstop.