March 31, 2018
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OXFORD, Miss. - No. 10 Auburn softball clinched their third-straight SEC series win Saturday, defeating Ole Miss 5-1 at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. It's the Tigers' seventh-straight SEC win.
Auburn tallied eight hits in the contest, their most in SEC play this season since the SEC opener vs. LSU, which went 13 innings.
"Well, that's the game. We talk about it all the time, put the ball in play and we have a chance," head coach Mickey Dean said. "The other team made some mistakes and we are limiting our mistakes."
The Tigers improved to 33-6, 7-4 in SEC play, while Ole Miss dropped to 16-14, 2-9.
Leading the way at the plate were Victoria Draper and Casey McCrackin, who finished with two hits apiece.
Draper was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and stole her 36th base of the season. McCrackin finished 2-for-3 with a RBI and a double. The junior from Pensacola, Fla. extended her on-base streak to a career-best 12-straight games.
The Tigers got the scoring started in the third as they put up a 3-spot on two hits while taking advantage of two Rebel errors. Morgan Podany singled to lead off the frame. Draper then scored Podany on a slow roller back to the pitcher that forced an errant throw and allowed the senior to advance all the way to third. Seconds later, McCrackin singled up the middle to bring her home.
Alyssa Rivera plated the final run of the inning on a RBI groundout to score Courtney Shea.
Auburn added two more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Kendall Veach and a RBI single by Rivera, her second on the game, to bring the score to 5-0.
Ole Miss got one back in the bottom of the fifth, however spectacular defensive play by the Tigers prevented any further damage as two runners were left on base.
Makayla Martin (13-3) went the distance for the sixth time this season to pick up the win. The junior from San Diego, Calif. allowed seven hits, but just one run while striking out a pair.
"Today was probably the best I've thrown my changeup the whole time I've been at Auburn," Martin said. "I'm glad that it was working, because my drop wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be, so being able to change speeds really set their hitters off balance."
Ole Miss starter Anna Borgen (2-5) was charged with the loss after allowing the three-run third inning. She was lifted in favor of Ava Tillman, who allowed four hits over the last four innings.
The series finale between Auburn and Ole Miss is slated for a 1 p.m. CT start time tomorrow at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. Admission is free.