March 6, 2016
AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 3 Tigers capped the Wilson/DeMarini Classic with a sweep against Georgia State in a double header Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn (20-1) won the first game 7-0 and then run-ruled Panthers (11-10) 9-0 in a six-inning game.
After falling behind 7-0 in the opening game of the weekend tournament, Auburn scored 44 unanswered and posted a 5-0 record.
"The way we finished the tournament was a lot better than the way we started," said head coach Clint Myers. "We are moving in the right direction. We have one final double header against Tennessee State and then we have Florida coming in, so that will test our ability well in that series there. There are a lot of positive things. We still have to work on the consistency."
GAME 1 - Auburn 7, Georgia State 0
A strong performance in the circle gave freshman Makayla Martin (5-0) the win. Martin has not allowed an extra base hit in any of her 34 innings pitched this year for the Tigers and throwing a complete complete game in this one, Martin allowed only four hits and struck out five batters.
"The pitching was outstanding today," said Myers. "Makayla has been throwing really well. Kaylee (Carlson) came in and also threw very well. Kaylee was sick and wasn't even here yesterday. The way she came back and performed as well as she did -- that says a lot about this staff and Kaylee."
The first game of the day started slow for both teams but the Tigers were patient and accepted nine walks to help key the victory.
Carlee Wallace broke the 0-0 tie game with a two-run homer in the third inning. The sophomore catcher went 2-for-3 in the first game scoring twice and raised her average up to .452 on the year.
Auburn added a run on a ground out in the fifth inning before finally capitalizing on all the free passes with a four run sixth-inning. Kasey Cooper eventually was able to see a ball in the strike zone and then delivered an RBI single to go along with her three walks in the game. Singles by Victoria Draper, Tiffany Howard, Cooper and Wallace put the Tigers up for the final 7-0 score.
GAME 2 -- Auburn 9, Georgia State 0
In the final game of the tournament with the Tigers playing as the visiting team, Auburn started in typical fashion with a three-run dent on the scoreboard before the opposing team had a chance to bat.
Rachel Walters got her first start of the season pitching four innings and only allowing one hit. Sophomore Kaylee Carlson came in as the relief also only giving up one hit.
The scoring started with Jade Rhode's two-RBI single in the first. A ground out gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead in the first.
Four-straight hits from Emily Carosone, Cooper, Wallace and Rhodes began the fifth inning before Madi Gipson's bases loaded hit-by-pitch plated the next run. Two errors by the Panthers helped bring in another pair of runs before the decisive three-run frame in the sixth.
Tiffany Howard's triple led off the next inning and gives her the school record for career triples (9). Another four-hit rally ensued and this time included three extra base hits with doubles by Cooper and Wallace to put the game away and give the Tigers their 12th run-rule victory of the year and 11th shutout.
UP NEXT
The Tigers face Tennessee State in a double header on Wednesday at Jane B. Moore Field. Game times for the double header are set for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The No. 1 ranked Florida Gators visit The Plains this weekend for the first SEC matchup of the season.