LEXINGTON, Ky. – A seven-run bottom of the sixth inning for Kentucky haunted Auburn as the Tigers fell to the Wildcats, 7-0, to close out the series.
"The top of (Kentucky's) lineup is very good," said Auburn head coach Mickey Dean. "(Chardonnay Harris) handled them. She was masterful all night, but then she missed her one spot and wasn't able to get it back."
No. 14 Auburn (34-13, 9-9) broke through the hit column first when Tannon Snow hit a 1-2 pitch back to Kentucky starting pitcher Grace Baalman (8-8) in the top of the first inning. The moves Alyssa Rivera to third, who reached on a fielding error, and preceded a walk to Kendall Veach to load the bases.
Unfortunately, nothing came to pass as Brittany Maresette fouled out to end the inning.
The Tigers left two runners on base the following inning after Justus Perry led off the inning with a walk and Taylon Snow recorded a two-out single back up the middle. Tan. Snow made it three straight innings with a base runner for Auburn when she drew a one-out walk in the third.
Rivera snapped streak of seven straight batters retired when she hit a two-out single in the top of the fifth. She was Auburn's last base runner of the game until Morgan Podany drew a one-out walk in the top of the seventh.
Kentucky (29-18, 12-9) broke through on the scoreboard on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning when Jenny Schaper lined a home run over the center-field fence. From there, the Wildcats added six more runs on six additional hits, one Tiger error and one wild pitch.
Auburn returns to action on Friday, April 26th at 6 p.m. when the Tigers host nationally-ranked Florida.