PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – A four-run first inning carried No. 1 UCLA (15-0) to an 11-1 victory over Auburn softball (9-7) Sunday at the Big League Dreams Complex to round out the final day of competition at the 2020 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The Bruins took advantage of an Auburn error in the first to put up four unearned runs before plating another four runs off extra-base hits in the second. Auburn battled back with a solo home run from senior Alyssa Rivera in the third, but the Tigers couldn't hold off the Bruin offense and fell in five innings.
Rivera collected two of Auburn's six hits, adding a single in the top of the fifth. Senior Tannon Snow rounded out her homecoming with a two-hit performance against UCLA.
Auburn used all three pitchers in the contest with redshirt junior Lexie Handley suffering the loss, falling to 2-3 on the year. Handley tossed 1.2 inning allowing eight runs, four of which were unearned. The leftie gave up six hits and two walks and struck out three.
SCORING RECAP
Bottom 1
Kinsley Washington led off the inning with help of an Auburn error and moved into scoring position by swiping second. Lexie Handley responded with a ground out back to the circle and a strikeout. Maya Brady plated the first run of the game with an RBI single to left center. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for the Bruins before Jacqui Prober cleared them with a double to left center. A great relay by the Tigers tagged out Prober between second and third to retire the side.
Auburn 0; UCLA 4
Bottom 2
After a strikeout from Handley to open the inning, back-to-back infield singles and a couple stolen bases put two Bruins in scoring position. Handley battled back with her third strikeout of the game, but Aaliyah Jordan cleared the bases with a double down the line to right. Maya Brady followed up with a two-run homer to right field.
Auburn 0; UCLA 8
Top 3
Alyssa Rivera put the Tigers on the board with a two-out, solo home run to left field. It was her third of her senior season.
Auburn 1; UCLA 8
Bottom 3
After back-to-back, one-out singles moved a runner into scoring position, Julie Rodriguez knocked a pinch-hit RBI single to center. Kinsley Washington followed up with a single to right field to plate the second run of the inning. Briana Perez brought home the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to center.
Auburn 1; UCLA 11
WHAT THEY SAID
Head Coach Mickey Dean
"We need to figure out how to fight through some tough spots. Some games, we've been able to do that. Some games, we haven't. We have to continue working on getting better and understanding the game.
TIGER TRACKS
Carlee McCondichie – Earned her first collegiate start at second base.
Alyssa Rivera – Slugged her third home run of her senior season and the 25th of her career.
Tannon Snow – With two hits against the Bruins, she is just one away from the 100th of her Auburn career.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field next weekend, hosting its final non-conference tournament of the season. The Tigers will face Georgia Southern at 3:30 p.m. CT o Friday, Feb. 28 to open the Tiger Invitational. The tournament field also features Binghamton and No. 17 Minnesota.