March 2, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. -- No. 12 softball improved to 19-2 on the season with two more shutout wins in day one of the Wilson/DeMarini Classic. The Tigers now have 14 shutout victories through 21 games.
Auburn defeated both UNCW (5-7) and Western Carolina (3-9) by a final of 9-0 n offensive clinics. The Tiger bats caught fire early in in the day and never looked back, racking up 19 hits on the day.
Auburn got things rolling early in game one against UNCW, rattling off five hits to bring in six runs in the first inning before finishing off the Seahawks in five innings with three more runs in the third.
Leading the way for Auburn offensively was redshirt senior Victoria Draper, who was 2-for-2 with one run scored. Sophomore Justus Perry also had a strong outing, notching a 3-RBI double, her fifth of the season, in the opening frame to give the Tigers their strong start.
The Auburn defense was no slouch either, led by starting pitcher Makayla Martin, who picked up her eighth win on the season (8-1). The junior from San Diego, Calif. tossed three innings, striking out three batters and only allowed just two hits. Freshmen Chardonnay Harris and Kara Bilodeau also saw time in the circle in relief duty.
Charged with the loss for the Seahawks was junior pitcher Haley Lenderman (1-2). She was responsible for six of Auburn's nine runs.
Fans at Jane B. Moore Field saw no drop off in offense as Auburn turned to the long ball in game two against Western Carolina, sending four out of the park off the bats of Kendall Veach, Courtney Shea, Casey McCrackin and Tannon Snow, who ended the game earlier on a two-run shot in the fifth.
Perry completed the second stanza of her big day, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate with a RBI and run scored. The sophomore from Prior Lake, Minn. tallied four RBI on the day to extend her team leading mark to 23.
Martin, having already impressed in the circle, took to the batters box in the bottom of the fifth and to the delight of all fans in attendance recorded the first hit of her collegiate career on a triple that was launched into the right field fence. One batter later, Snow put the games in the books with her homer to right-center.
Once again the Tiger's pitching held the opposition at bay surrendering just three hits. Senior Kaylee Carlson remained perfect on the season for her ninth win without a loss as she allowed no runs and three hits in 4.0 innings pitched. Ashlee Swindle pitched the final inning.
Shaina Reed, the Catamount's junior pitcher was charged with the loss, allowing nine runs on 10 hits in addition to seven walked batters.
Auburn will be in action again Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. CT against Western Carolina and again at 5:30 p.m. CT against Western Illinois in day two of the Wilson/DeMarini Classic.