Feb. 25, 2018
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - No. 12 Auburn softball wrapped up play at the Mary Nutter Classic splitting a doubleheader on Saturday at the Big League Dreams Complex. The Tigers defeated Oregon State 10-6 and fell to Long Beach State 6-3.
Auburn (17-2) got the day started vs. the Beavers in a contest that featured plenty of offense. The Tigers were led at the plate by junior Kendall Veach, who was 3-for-3 with four runs scored and a solo home run, her third of the season. Victoria Draper and Casey McCrackin had two hits apiece.
Freshman Chardonnay Harris (1-1) picked up the first win of her career as she relieved starter Makayla Martin in the third. Harris tossed 1.1 innings giving up one hit and two runs, one earned. Kaylee Carlson took care of the rest, tossing 3.2 innings and earning her first save of the season.
The Tigers took advantage of five errors by the Oregon State (9-6) defense and tallied 10 hits to the Beavers' 11.
Oregon State's starter Meehra Nelson (6-3) was charged with the loss as she was responsible for seven runs.
Auburn's second game vs. Long Beach State saw much less offense as the Tigers struggled to find much success against 49ers ace Cielo Meza (7-0). Auburn tallied three runs off five hits.
Freshman Jenna Olszewski belted her second homerun of the week to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead in the third. Long Beach State responded with two runs in the fourth and four runs on four hits in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead into the sixth.
Auburn got one back in the sixth as Morgan Podany walked with the bases loaded, but the Tigers left the bases loaded. In the seventh, Auburn threatened again loading the bases with just one out, and Draper scored on a wild play to bring the score to 6-3, but that was all for the Tigers in the inning. Makayla Martin (7-1) was charged with her first loss of the season after giving up seven hits and six runs (five earned) over 4.0 innings. Ashlee Swindle tossed the final 2.0 innings, giving up just two hits and didn't allow a run in relief duty.
Auburn will look to bounce back this upcoming weekend at the Wilson/DeMarini Classic at Jane B. Moore Field March 2-4.