Feb. 22, 2014
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AUBURN, Ala. - Senior pitcher Hilary Mavromat got the call to start Saturday's game for the Auburn softball team against Jacksonville State and got plenty of run support in the 13-3 victory. The win is Mavromat's first of the year and is the team's ninth-straight victory since defeating Tennessee Tech on the final day of the Plainsman Invite. The Tigers have won three-straight games in the Wilson/DeMarini Classic and will look to finish the tournament perfect tomorrow when they face Purdue at 11:30 a.m. at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Tigers had 11 hits, with junior Branndi Melero and sophomore Jade Rhodes batting in five runs each. The RBI total for Melero tied a career-high, while Rhodes set a new career-high with the five runs batted in. Melero was perfect at the plate going 3-for-3 with a three-run home run, but Rhodes also hit her first long ball of the year in the third, driving in three also.
In the circle, Mavromat pitched a complete five innings, scattering three runs on eight hits, but Auburn helped its pitcher out in a big way on the offensive end six of its runs coming off home runs. Along with Melero and Rhodes, junior McKenzie Kilpatrick hit her fourth home run of the year and her first since hitting one against Tennessee Tech on Feb. 9.
Auburn got on the board early and quick as they scored five runs in the bottom half of the first. Sophomore Emily Carosone led off the game reaching first on a hit by pitch. That led to a walk by redshirt junior Morgan Estell to put two runners on and nobody out. Freshman Kasey Cooper delivered in the next at-bat with a double, bringing around Carosone for the game's first run.
Melero brought everyone around in her first at-bat of the game as her homer drove in three of the inning's five runs and gives her four for the year to tie for the team lead. Kilpatrick's home run followed in back-to-back fashion, a solo shot down the left field line to give Auburn the 5-0 lead after one inning of play.
Jacksonville State answered back slightly in the top of the second, scoring one run off a Cadi Oliver double and an RBI single by Hayden Crawford to make it 5-1 Auburn. Oliver finished Saturday's game 2-for-3 with two doubles.
The Tigers touched the plate three more time in the bottom of the third with all three runs coming off the bat of Rhodes. Melero singled with one out to be Auburn's first base-runner of the inning, followed by Kilpatrick's second hit of the game to put two runners on. Rhodes then unleashed a towering home run that landed well over the scoreboard in left-center field to push Auburn's lead to 8-1 after three innings.
The Orange and Blue capped the night with five more runs in the fourth inning, getting hits from Carosone, Estell, Melero and Rhodes. Melero, Kilpatrick and Rhodes were the only Tiger players to have more than one hit in Saturday's win over the Gamecocks.
JSU did score two more in the top of the fifth inning to make it 13-3, but it was not enough as Mavromat closed the door to any comeback earning her first win of the season in the circle.
Auburn returns to the field Sunday as it will take on Purdue with first pitch slated for 11:30 a.m. at Jane B. Moore Field. The first game of day three of the Wilson/DeMarini Classic will feature Mississippi Valley State and Purdue, starting at 9:30 a.m.
The Auburn games can be heard locally on WEGL 91.1 or online at AuburnTigers.com. Live video will also be available for the Auburn games and live stats will also be available on AuburnTigers.com throughout the weekend for all games.
All home games at Jane B. Moore Field this year will require a purchased ticket unless otherwise specified. All ticket information can be found here on AuburnTigers.com.
For more information on Auburn softball, visit AuburnTigers.com, follow the team on Twitter @AuburnTigersSB or follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuburnSB.