GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Despite a Tiger finding a way on base in five of seven innings, Auburn softball (14-9) could not push a run across, dropping its SEC opener, 6-0, to No. 7 Florida (19-4) Friday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Florida's Rylee Trlicek limited Auburn's offense to three hits. Reigning SEC Co-Freshman of the Week knocked the first of the Tigers' three singles in the first inning. Auburn's next hit would not come until the top of the fifth with a single up the middle from sophomore Aspyn Godwin. Senior Tannon Snow recorded the final base hit of the game, leading off the seventh inning with a drive back up the middle.
Redshirt junior Lexie Handley earned the start in the circle, tossing 3.2 innings. The left-hander was charged with four runs after giving up seven hits. She struck out one. Senior Ashlee Swindle tossed 0.2 innings in relief, giving up two runs off one hit and three walks. Making just her second appearance in the circle, freshman KK Dismukes looked strong in her SEC debut. Dismukes tossed 1.2 innings in relief, retiring all five batters she faced. She struck out one in the appearance.
SCORING RECAP
Bottom 3
Jaimie Hoover drew a hit by pitch to lead off the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch. A dropped ball at first on a sacrifice bunt attempt put runners on the corners with no outs for the Gators. Lexie Handley forced a pop up at second for the first out of the inning, but Kendyl Lindaman drove in the first run of the game with a fly ball that landed safely on the right field warning track.
Auburn 0; Florida 1
Bottom 4
Julia Cottrill led off the inning with a double to left center. Lexie Handley battled back with a strikeout for out number one. Cheyenne Lindsey dropped a tricky pop up bunt that landed safely in front of third base to put runners on the corners before swiping second. A bunt just out of the reach of Handley loaded the bases for the Gators. Sophia Reynoso plated a run with a sacrifice fly to deep center. Hannah Adams knocked a single through the left side to score the second run of the inning. After the Tigers made a pitching change for Ashlee Swindle, a double steal brought Hoover home.
Auburn 0; Florida 4
Bottom 5
The Gators drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning, moving both runners in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Cheyenne Lindsey cleared the bases with a triple to right field.
Auburn 0; Florida 6
WHAT THEY SAID
Head Coach Mickey Dean
"Defensively, we didn't execute cleanly. We had two pop-up bunts that should have been double plays, but we let them drop. We were swinging down on a drop-ball pitcher. That's backwards. We were pitching pretty decent early in the game until we gave up back-to-back walks in the fifth. In the level of softball, you're going to bunt them over and score. That's what happened. We have to learn from it, and then you can flush it. But, you have to learn. Whether you win, lose or draw, you have to learn. You have to get better. That's what we have to do right now.
TIGER TRACKS
Carlee McCondichie – Extended her active hit streak to five consecutive games and reached base streak to six.
UP NEXT
Auburn looks to even the series in game two against the Gators on Saturday. First pitch on the SEC Network + is set for 5 p.m. CT.