April 8, 2018
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AUBURN, Ala. - Senior right-hander Kaylee Carlson set a new program record for career wins as she tossed her way to win No. 63 as No. 11 Auburn defeated No. 8 Tennessee 6-0 Sunday to win their fourth-straight SEC series.
The senior from Garden Grove, Calif. dominated from start to finish, tossing her 10th complete game of the season. Carlson allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out five.
"I was just trying to go out there and do my job and to get the praise that we got after the game, it just makes me feel happy because people are out here supporting us," Carlson said. "That support is what we really want."
The win broke a tie with Lexi Davis, whom Carlson tied against Kennesaw State last Wednesday.
Carlson's shutout was the Tigers' 21st of the season, which is second-most all time and just three games behind the program record of 24 set in 2004.
Carlson (17-2) also achieved another milestone with the win as she completed the cycle of defeating every SEC team at least once in her career.
"It's a like a broken record, she just goes on and on," head coach Mickey Dean said. "She's a bulldog. She wants the ball and don't care what she's feeling like. She's pitched hurt, she's pitched tired. She just wants the ball and wants to be the best for her team."
Auburn got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning as Morgan Podany ripped a 2-1 pitch into the left-center field gap for a RBI double, giving Auburn the early 1-0 lead.
Auburn retained the 1-0 lead into the fifth inning, before breaking the game open. The first two Tiger hitters reached base and set up runners on the corners for Casey McCrackin, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to extend the Tigers lead to 2-0. Courtney Shea followed McCrackin with a double to dead center that scored one. Tennessee would go to the bullpen to bring starter Caylan Arnold back into the game. Alyssa Rivera then deposited Arnold's 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field to give Auburn the 6-0 lead and break the game open.
Rivera, a sophomore from Eagle Lake, Fla., has homered five times in the last 13 games.
The Tigers finished the game with six hits. Courtney Shea led the way with a pair of hits as she collected her eight multi-hit game of the season.
Arnold (14-4) was charged with the loss after allowing two runs over 5.0 innings.
Auburn returns to action on Friday against Missouri in Columbia, MO. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be available on SEC Network .