March 19, 2016
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- No. 3 Auburn dropped a 6-3 ballgame to Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon and moved to 24-5 on the year and 2-3 in SEC play. The two teams meet again on Sunday for the rubber match with first pitch set for 11:30 a.m.
Auburn trailed for most of the afternoon and the game got away from the Tigers in the second inning after Marcy Harper was called for an illegal pitch after a third strike call to Calyn Adams. Adams worked her way to a walk and then a double by Amanda Ivy scored two runs. Two more runs scored on Katie Anne Bailey's triple and another illegal pitch called on Harper plated Bailey to put the Bulldogs up 5-0.
All six of the Bulldogs' (19-7, 1-1) runs came with two outs on the board.
Auburn cut into the deficit the next inning as Emily Carosone broke the school record accepting her 68th career hit-by-pitch. Carosone ranks among the top 10 in NCAA history in the category as well.
A single from Kasey Cooper advanced Carosone to third and the senior scored on a groundout.
Harper exited the game after two innings and turned the ball over to Lexi Davis as the senior finished the game allowing three hits and one more run.
The Tigers mounted a comeback attempt in the final frame with Cooper driving in a run on a single up the middle. Carlee Wallace reached base on an error by the third baseman and then Jade Rhodes hit an RBI single to bring the tying run up to the plate but the Tigers were unable to score anymore runs.
UP NEXT
Auburn and Mississippi State close out the series tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.