April 29, 2017
AUBURN, Ala. - Carlee Wallace launched a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to down Mississippi State Saturday night, 6-2. The home run keyed a five-run inning to send the Tigers (42-8, 14-6 SEC) to the comeback victory at Jane B. Moore Field.
"Tonight, we grew up," said head coach Clint Myers. "We were waiting for that kind of game for a long time. That was a real comeback.
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"It was a great win for everybody. That's the type of play we've got to have."
Auburn won on a walk-off grand slam for the first time since Emily Carosone hit a game-ending roundtripper in the Women's College World Series against Oklahoma last season.
Down 2-1 entering their final chance at the plate, the Tigers sent five to the dish and all five crossed home to key the triumph. Casey McCrackin led off with a solo home run to left that tied the game at 2-2.
KK Crocker and Victoria Draper followed up with singles through the infield to put runners on with zero outs. Kasey Cooper was then pitched around and drew a walk to load the bases, setting up the dramatic at-bat.
Wallace worked into a favorable 3-1 count and barreled the next pitch over the wall in center to give Auburn a 6-2 win in walk-off fashion, sending the fifth-largest crowd in Jane B. Moore Field history of 2,331 into a frenzy.
Cooper led the offense with three hits, while Draper and Wallace chimed in with two apiece. Alyssa Rivera, Crocker and McCrackin rounded out the attack with one hit each.
Kaylee Carlson improved her record to 24-3 and earned her fifth consecutive decision in the circle. Carlson struck out two and allowed just two earned runs on the evening.
The Tigers' first run came in the fifth when Rivera laced an RBI single up the middle that scored Sydne Waldrop from second with two outs.
Mississippi State (34-17, 8-12) held the lead until the game's final at-bat with solo home runs in the third and fourth stanzas.
With the win, Auburn clinched its sixth SEC series, including the last five. The two teams close out the series on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.