AUBURN, Ala. – It was a tale of two games as Auburn softball (5-3) needed 10 innings to walk off an extra-inning victory over UNCW before capping off the night with a five-inning, rule-rule victory over Alabama State to open the Plainsman Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field.
UNCW (1-5) took advantage of four Auburn errors to take a 7-0 lead over the Tigers after two innings. Auburn battled back, scoring eight unanswered runs for an 8-7 comeback victory in the 10th inning. It was Auburn's first comeback of a deficit of five or more runs since 2016.
The long ball played a key factor in Auburn's comeback as freshman Jaylin Calvert slugged a grand slam in the fourth before junior Makenna Dowell locked the game up at 7-7 with a solo homer in the sixth. Both were the first home runs of their careers.
Senior Ashlee Swindle (3-2) turned in a career performance in relief, tossing a career-high nine innings. Swindle allowed seven hits, but was lights out after giving up three runs in the second inning. The right-hander set a career high with 13 strikeouts. She is the first Auburn pitcher to record double-digit strikeouts this season.
Several newcomers came to play in Auburn's 9-1 run-rule victory over Alabama State (3-5) as the Tiger offense pour on the nine runs off 13 hits. Seven different Tigers recorded a hit in the contest with five picking up multi-hit outings. Senior Tannon Snow delivered the walk-off punch with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. She closed the game with a team-high two RBI.
Redshirt junior Lexie Handley earned her first victory of the season, tossing four innings against the Hornets. The leftie gave up just one run off four hits and a walk. She struck out three.
Senior Justus Perry led the Tigers over Friday's doubleheader slate as she went 4-for-6 at the plate for a .667 average. She scored one run and tallied an RBI. Calvert went 3-for-8 at the plate with a team-high five RBI on Friday.
UNCW SCORING RECAP
Top 1
The Seawhawks led off the first with an infield single to third from Gabriella Hessenthaler. A fielding error at second and errant throw from Handley brought Hessenthaler home for an unearned for the Seahawks.
UNCW 1; Auburn 0
Top 2
A single in right field and a throwing error allowed two Seahawks to reach ahead of Camryn Dean, who doubled to right field to clear the base paths. After an Auburn pitching change, an infield single and double steal plated a run. Rachel Willis singled through the right side to plate the fourth run of the inning. After a ground out to second, Dominique Travers sent a two-run homered to left to extend the Seahawk lead to seven runs.
UNCW 7; Auburn 0
Bottom 4
After a pop up to short, three straight Tiger singles from Haley Nillen, Maia Engelkes and Abby Tissier loaded up the bases. Jaylin Calvert's first career home run, a grand slam to right center, cut the UNCW lead to three.
UNCW 7; Auburn 4
Bottom 5
Auburn took advantage of the free passes with a walk and hit by pitch to lead off the fifth. Maddison Koepke moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Haley Nillen cleared the bases with a two-RBI single to right.
UNCW 7; Auburn 6
Bottom 6
Makenna Dowell delivered the punishing blow with a two-out, solo home run to right field. The homer was the first of her career.
UNCW 7; Auburn 7
Bottom 10
With the international tiebreaker rule in place, Jaylin Calvert started the inning on second base. After a pop up to third, Makenna Dowell slugged a deep fly ball to center. Calvert tagged up and advance to third after the out was recorded. UNCW's third baseman ran into Calvert as she rounded third resulting in interference being called and Calvert scoring the winning run.
UNCW 7; Auburn 8
ALABAMA STATE SCORING RECAP
Bottom 1
Alyssa Rivera drew the leadoff walk and quickly moved into scoring position off an infield single to short from Makenna Dowell. After advancing to third off a fly ball out to center, Rivera scored on the double steal trickery on the base paths. Maddison Koepke cleared the bases with an RBI triple to center field to extend the lead.
Alabama State 0; Auburn 2
Bottom 2
Aspyn Godwin took advantage of a dropped fly ball in right field, racing around the bases to stand at third. Jaylin Calvert drove her home with a double to left center. Alyssa Rivera's 150th hit of her career with an RBI single to center field to bring home Calvert.
Alabama State 0; Auburn 4
Top 4
A one-out single up the middle would result in a run for the Hornets as Morgan Gaither drove in the run with a double to center.
Alabama State 1; Auburn 4
Bottom 4
After a couple walks, Lindsey Garcia recorded and RBI single to shortstop, the first hit of her collegiate career. Tannon Snow drove in a run with a single to center. An error on the play brought home Garcia, while Snow advanced to third. Justus Perry capped the scoring with a RBI single up the middle.
Alabama State 1; Auburn 8
Bottom 5
After a one-out single up the middle from Alyssa Rivera, Lindsey Garcia doubled to center field to put two Tigers into scoring position. Tannon Snow walked off the win with a sacrifice fly to right.
Alabama State 1; Auburn 9
WHAT THEY SAID
Head Coach Mickey Dean
"We played fall ball, but that's not really a good gauge. We scrimmaged a lot, still not a good gauge. You don't know what kids are going to do in a game, especially when we've got 13 new faces. Today we got to see how they reacted and how they can handle game situations. As young as we are, sometimes we handle it well and sometimes we don't. We have to give them opportunities to find their rhythm, start to play and all those other good things."
TIGER TRACKS
Maia Englekes – Earned her first career start. Recorded her first collegiate hit, a single through the left side in the third against UNCW. Engelkes also scored a run for the Tigers.
Jaylin Calvert – Slugged her first collegiate home run with a grand slam to right center in the third against UNCW. It was Auburn's first grand slam of the season.
Maddison Koepke – Recorded her first career triple with an RBI three-bagger in the first inning against Alabama State
Makenna Dowell – Tied up the game against the Seahawks with her first career home run, a solo shot to right field.
Madi Perry – Made her collegiate debut with a pinch-run appearance against Alabama State.
Alyssa Rivera – Reached the 150 career hits milestone with an RBI single to center against Alabama State in the second inning.
Maddie Majors – Made her collegiate debut, coming off the bench to play right field against Alabama State.
Lindsey Garcia – Knocked an RBI single against Alabama State. It was her first collegiate at-bat.
Ashlee Swindle – Set career highs in innings pitched (9.0), pitches thrown (149) and strikeouts (13) in her third win of the season. She is the first Tiger to strikeout double-digit batters this season.
Comeback Kids – Friday's comeback victory over UNCW is the third for Auburn this season. The Tigers scored eight unanswered runs after falling behind 7-0 after two innings. It was the first time Auburn has overcame a 5+ run deficit to win since defeating #3 Oklahoma, 11-7, at the Women's College World series on June 7, 2016.
Free Softball – The UNCW extra-inning victory was the first extra inning game for the Tigers in 2020. Auburn is now 4-6 all-time in extra inning contests under Mickey Dean.
Hornet Repellent – Auburn has now won the last five meetings over Alabama State via the run-rule, outscoring the Hornets, 67-2.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field on Saturday for the second day of competition at the Plainsman Invitational. The Tigers will face a doubleheader slate with Alabama State at 2:30 p.m. CT and UNCW at 5 p.m. CT. Saturday's contest against the Seahawks will air on the SEC Network+.