AUBURN, Ala. – Combining for 19 hits, including five home runs, Auburn softball (7-3) broke out the bats to sweep Saturday's slate of games at Jane B. Moore Field and remain perfect against the Plainsman Invitational field.
The Tigers used a four-run first inning to jump out to an early lead over Alabama State (4-6) and cruised to a 7-0 victory, Auburn's first shutout of the season. The long ball played a factor in the first game as senior Tannon Snow and freshman Maia Engelkes both went yard for their first home runs of the season.
Redshirt junior Lexie Handley and sophomore Samantha Yarbrough combined for the one-hit shutout. Handley tossed three innings, allowing just one hit and walk and racked up three strikeouts. Yarbrough earned the win, pitching the final four innings, to improve to 2-0. She gave up just two walks and struck out four in relief.
The offensive continues to roll in the night cap as Auburn scored a season-high 18 runs off 12 hits to run-rule UNCW (1-7), 18-1, in five innings. Eighteen different Tigers recorded an at-bat in the contest.
Senior Alyssa Rivera found her grove as she finished 3-for-3 with four runs scored and a career-high six RBI. She slugged two homers in the contest for her first multi-home run game of her career.
Game two feature a second one-hit performance by the Tiger pitching staff this time by senior Ashlee Swindle and Yarbrough. After three perfect frames to start the game, Swindle allowed just one hit and one unearned run to score over her four innings of work to improve to 4-3. Swindle struck out one in the outing. Yarbrough tossed the final inning in relief, striking out two.
Snow was Auburn's leader at the plate over Saturday's slate, finishing the night a combined 3-for-5 at the plate for a .600 average. She drove in five runs with help of two doubles and scored three times. Rivera went 4-for-7 over Auburn's doubleheader with five runs scored. She closed Saturday with a 1.429 slugging percentage behind two homers and tallied six RBI.
Auburn's pitching staff allowed just one unearned run and two hits over 12.0 innings of work. The Tigers struck out 10 over the two-game slate and held opponents to a .056 average at the plate.
ALABAMA STATE SCORING RECAP
Bottom 1
Alyssa Rivera scorched a single up the middle and quickly moved safely to third after a stolen base and wild pitch. After a Makenna Dowell walk, Tannon Snow drove in a run with her second sacrifice fly of the season, a deep fly ball in foul territory to left. Justus Perry followed up with a hard shot in the 5-6 hole to bring home the second run of the inning. The Hornets handled a fly ball to second for the second out, but Haley Nillen perfectly placed a fly ball in no man's left in center for an RBI double. The fourth run of the inning came across with help of a pass ball and a fielding error by Alabama State's second baseman.
Alabama State 0; Auburn 4
Bottom 3
Leading off the inning, Tannon Snow slugged a solo homer to straightaway center, the first home run of her senior season. It was her 22nd home runs in an Auburn uniform.
Alabama State 0; Auburn 5
Bottom 4
Abby Tissier drove a single down the left field line to lead off the fourth for the Tigers. Maia Engelkes smoked a two-run homer to left center to extend the Tiger lead to seven. It was the first of her career.
Alabama State 0; Auburn 7
UNCW STATE SCORING RECAP
Bottom 1
Alyssa Rivera kept her leadoff magic rolling with a single up the middle. A one-out double from Tannon Snow put two Tigers in scoring position for Justus Perry, who singled to center to pick up an RBI. Maddison Koepke drove in a second Auburn run with a sacrifice fly to left field.
UNCW 0; Auburn 2
Bottom 2
Aspyn Godwin led off the second with the first home run of her sophomore season, a solo shot to center field. Jaylin Calvert worked a nine-pitch, at-bat for a walk to turn over the lineup for Alyssa Rivera, who slugged a home run opposite field to extend the lead to five.
UNCW 0; Auburn 5
Bottom 3
A Maddison Koepke walk was erased by a fielder's choice. Aspyn Godwin singled to short to advance pinch runner Jadia Jones to second. Maia Engelkes just squeaked a single up the middle to drive home Jones. Jaylin Calvert's reached on a dribbler to first, but Godwin beat out the throw to home. Alyssa Rivera cleared the bases with her second home run of the game, a three-run bomb to right.
UNCW 0; Auburn 10
Top 4
Emily Langkamp led off the fourth with a double to left center. After moving to third on a ground ball back to Swindle, Lamgkamp scored on a passed ball.
UNCW 1; Auburn 10
Bottom 4
After Madi Perry drew the leadoff walk, Hannah Cavanaugh knocked the first hit of her collegiate career with a single to center. A one-out hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Tigers. Brittany Maresette picked up an RBI with a fielder's choice ball at second base. After Phoebe Florian, a bases-loaded walk to Alyssa Rivera and hit by pitch to Lindsey Garcia plated two. Tannon Snow cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field. Carlee McCondichie drove in a run with an RBI single to first while an UNCW error on the play allowed a second run to score on the play.
UNCW 1; Auburn 18
WHAT THEY SAID
Head Coach Mickey Dean
"I'll be honest with you, I think the way we played against Kennesaw State and the first two innings against UNCW, I don't know what it was, but we seemed to have gotten ourselves out of it. Since the second inning against Wilmington, we have been playing with some confidence and in rhythm."
Senior outfielder Alyssa Rivera
"Having confidence in myself, being around such great people, and great coaches have allowed me to be successful. I just have to keep swinging, can't stop swinging."
TIGER TRACKS
Tannon Snow – Slugged the first home run of her senior season and the 22nd of her Auburn career against Alabama State.
Maia Engelkes – Recorded the first home run of her collegiate career with a two-run shot to left center against Alabama State.
Carlee McCondichie – Tallied the first hit of her collegiate career with a slap bunt back to the pitcher against Alabama State.
Aspyn Godwin – Slugged her second career home run and the first of her sophomore season against UNCW.
Alyssa Rivera – Slugged her 23rd and 24th career home runs against UNCW, the first two of her senior season. It was the first multi-home run game of her career. She racked up a career-high six RBI to surpass 100 career RBI. She's the first Tiger with 6+ RBI in a game since Tannon Snow at Tennessee on April 6, 2019. She's the first Tiger to hit two home runs in the same game since Snow at Tennessee on April 7, 2019.
Hannah Cavanugh – Made her collegiate debut, recording a pinch-hit single against UNCW.
Ashlee Swindle – Retired nine straight against UNCW and did not allow a hit until the fourth inning.
Rack up the Runs – Auburn's 17-run margin of victory was the largest since defeating Alabama State 22-0 on March 21, 2018.
Saturdays are for the DUBS – Auburn improves to 4-0 in games played on Saturday this season.
UP NEXT
Auburn wraps up the Plainsman Invitational on Sunday with a final contest against UNCW. First pitch from Jane B. Moore Field is set for 11 a.m. CT.