June 4, 2016
By Charles Goldberg
AuburnTigers.com
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- They talked of the timely hits, the production from the bottom of the lineup, the never-quit attitude when the game was one the line.
Auburn rallied to beat Georgia 4-3 in softball's College World Series on Saturday with three dramatic runs in the top of the seventh to move within three victories of a national championship. The Tigers will look to continue their march there in a 6 p.m. Sunday game on ESPN2 against the winner of a noon game between Michigan and Florida State.
Auburn coach Clint Myers said Saturday's victory "puts us in a great place."
"I'm really proud of the fight and the never-quit."
It was all about clutch performances Saturday. Kasey Cooper, Emily Carosone and Jade Rhodes all drove in runs in the decisive seventh, then talked of others.
Pitcher Rachael Walters didn't blink when Georgia put two runners on in the bottom of the inning. The last play of the game was a soft grounder to her.
Game over because of, Myers said, teamwork.
"You heard what they were saying: 'I was doing it for her. I was doing it for us. I did what I had to do.'" Myers said. "We have a term: Pass the baton. If one doesn't get it done, the next one will."
And so it was that Cooper, Carosone and Rhodes delivered after Victoria Draper and Tiffany Howard reached base to start the inning.
"Without Victoria getting on," Carosone said, "the top of the order comes up with one out, and that situation doesn't happen.
"Me and Cooper had it easy. We just had to get hits because the runners were already in scoring position."
Georgia was cruising along in its post-season fairytale run, leading 3-1 to start the final inning. But when it was done, Auburn had improved to 56-10 and was 2-0 in the World Series. Georgia fell into the losers' bracket with a 46-19 record.
Auburn was waiting for a big finish.
"This team has had great fight all year long," Myers said. "They never quit. As long as they have a breath, they never quit. That's just a competitive nature. That's playing with a great heart. That's playing with total confidence."
Auburn had a chance to potentially score more in the seventh. But, on Rhodes' fielder's choice RBI, Carosone was called out for running out of the base path for the second out; and Rhodes was called out because the umpires ruled the first base coach assisted her returning to the bag.
But the run scored before the third out, giving Auburn the lead.
Auburn's three wins away from a softball national title. 'It's mind blowing,' says Tiffany Howard after 4-3 win pic.twitter.com/h45H6GNKak
- Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) June 5, 2016
Makayla Martin pitched the first two innings, going one time through Georgia's lineup. Walters came in and pitched the final five innings, allowing an earned run while improving to 11-3.
"The pitching was phenomenal and the hitting was timely," Myers said.
"We made a few mistakes, but great teams figure out ways to win, and they did tonight. I'm very, very proud of all of them."
The game started with promise for Auburn. Howard reached base and scored on a Carosone sacrifice fly in the first. The Tigers could have added on, but left seven runners on in the first four innings.
Georgia took advantage, scoring single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.
Auburn had the answers in the seventh with clutch RBIs from Cooper, Carosone and Rhodes.
And so it was Auburn moved within a victory of the best-of-three championship series, within three victories of a national championship.
"I'm pumped.. I'm so excited," Howard said."To just think we can win three more games, it's mind blowing."
Charles Goldberg is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @AUGoldMine