AUBURN, Ala. – From start to finish, Chardonnay Harris dominated as she faced three over the minimum in Auburn's 8-1 win against Texas A&M to clinch the Tigers' conference-opening series.
Harris, in just her third career start against a SEC opponent, went 7.0 innings, scattered three hits and allowed only one run. She also struck out 10 batters and did not issue a walk to any of the 24 batters she faced. It's the third time this season (14 vs. Eastern Illinois, Feb. 23; 11 vs. Michigan State, Mar. 9) the left-hander has struck out double-digit batters.
"It was surreal," Harris said on her performance. "I've just been working towards this moment since the first day of fall practice. I just set it as one of my goals to be a factor to help us get where we need to go."
Texas A&M (16-10, 1-4) scored on a one-out, first-inning solo home run by Blake-Ann Fritsch. From there, Harris set down the next five Aggies, before Ashlynn Walls led off the third with an infield single. Walls was erased at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of Kelbi Fortenberry, then Fritsch ended the inning with a fly out to Bree Fornis in left field.
Fritsch's out started a streak of 11 straight set down by Harris before Baylee Klingler recorded another infield single with one out in the seventh. However, Harris' 10th strikeout of the game followed by a groundball to Taylon Snow gave the Tigers (25-4, 2-0) the series win.
"I get to work with our pitchers every day, so I know how good Chardonnay is," said Auburn head coach Mickey Dean. "Now she knows how good Chardonnay is."
Auburn responded to Texas A&M's first-inning run with a two-run home run by Kendall Veach in its half of the second. The Tigers added to their lead with six runs in the bottom of the fourth as Tannon Snow, Justus Perry, Aspyn Godwin, Tay. Snow and Alyssa Rivera all had run-scoring hits.
Auburn and Texas A&M wrap up its three-game series on Sunday at 2 p.m.