Feb. 6, 2015
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AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn softball offense stayed hot Friday night, even though temperatures hovered around the freezing mark. As the first day of the Plainsman Invite came to a close, the Auburn Tigers continued their strong offensive start to the 2015 season, defeating UAB, 11-2, in five innings, with more help from the home run ball.
"I thought we played very well tonight," Auburn head coach Clint Myers said after the game. "If we continue to play like we are, swing the bats and be patient, get the pitching and play the defense, we got a good chance of being successful. Each game is a little different. Tomorrow at 3:30 will be the most important game of the year until we get done with that one. Again, it is just one game at a time."
Redshirt sophomore Haley Fagan launched her second home run in as many days in the bottom of the first inning. She finished the night 1-for-2 with three RBI and getting her first start of the year in the field at second base. Over the first two games this season, Fagan has been a terror to opposing pitchers, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI.
Auburn went on to score seven runs in the first inning Friday night, making that 17 runs scored in the first frame over the first two games of the season. Fagan's three-run home run started the scoring barrage for the Tigers and they were able to load the bases later in the inning after two walks and a single.
With senior McKenzie Kilpatrick at the plate, the Prattville, Ala.-native skyrocketed her first home run of the year in grand fashion, knocking a pitch off the scoreboard in left center field to push Auburn ahead of UAB, 7-0. Kilpatrick added one more RBI to her total in the fourth inning when she had her second extra base hit of the night, a double, scoring redshirt senior Morgan Estell.
Junior Marcy Harper got the start in the circle for the Tigers and did a nice job through the first two innings, limiting the Blazers to only three hits. Harper ended up throwing four strong innings, scattering five hits and allowing two earned runs with three strikeouts to get her first win of the year.
The Tigers tacked on two more runs in the second inning to take a commanding 9-0 lead. After sophomore Kasey Cooper knocked a one-out double down the left field line, she was brought around three batters later by junior Jade Rhodes on a double of her own.
Two batters later, with the bases loaded again, freshman Courtney Shea knocked home her first RBI of her Auburn career. Shea got her first start at the catcher position Friday night and finished with a line of 1-for-2 with one RBI and one walk.
Auburn went on to score one more run each in the fourth and fifth innings to push the lead to 11-2, enough for the eight-run mercy rule.
Sophomore Jenna Abbott closed out the game, getting her first appearance in the circle this year. Abbott pitched the full fifth inning, going three-up and three-down, including the game-ending strikeout.
The Tigers return to the field tomorrow for day two of the Plainsman Invite at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn's first game of the day will be against Evansville at 3:30 p.m. It will follow that up with a matchup against George Washington at 5:30 p.m. Both games will be televised online on SEC Network+, which is only available on the Watch ESPN app or WatchESPN.com.
Fans can order their tickets for this season online at AUBTix.com, over the phone by calling 1-855-282-2010 or in person by visiting the Auburn Arena Ticket Office, which is open 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Tickets are still available for the full season, pick-six mini-packs and individual games.
For more information on Auburn softball, visit AuburnTigers.com, follow the team on Twitter @Auburn_Softball or follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuburnSoftball.