TROY, Ala. –Freshman Shelby Lowe held Troy to just two singles as No. 21/22 Auburn softball knock off the Trojans, 3-0, Wednesday night at the Trojan Softball Complex to extend the Tiger win streak to 11 straight games.
Lowe held the Trojans hitless through five innings to record her second complete-game shutout of the season. The left-hander struck out 11 of the 22 batters she faced and allowed just two singles through seven innings. Lowe is now 6-0 in the circle.
Makenna Dowell led the Tigers at the plate with a 2-for-2 night with a home run, two RBI and a pair of walks. Makayla Packer also turned in a multi-hit night with two infield singles.
"We talk about it all the time," said head coach Mickey Dean. "We need a great effort in the circle. We need to play clean defense. The one play we didn't do that, they very next play we turn a double play. We need timely hitting. We played a really good team tonight and was able to execute."
After two scoreless innings that saw just one hit between the two teams, Auburn broke through in the top of the third. Taking advantage of a pair of walks and a Packer infield single to load the bases, Aspyn Godwin worked the count to draw the bases-loaded walk, Auburn's third free pass of the inning, to plate a run.
Troy limited the damage to the lone run with a play at the plate and pop fly to short.
Dowell made it a multi-hit, multi-RBI performance at the plate in the top of the fourth, slugging her second home run of the season. Her two-out homer pushed the Auburn lead to 3-0.
Lowe kept the Trojans in check through the early stages of the game allowing just one base runner to reach via an Auburn error. Troy's would break up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth, but the Tiger defense would turn its second double play of the game to keep the Trojans scoreless.
TIGER TRACKS
- Tonight's victory extended Auburn's win streak to 11 consecutive games. It is Auburn's eighth straight victory over the Trojans.
- Makenna Dowell has recorded at least one hit in 15 of Auburn's 17 games to start the season.
- Makenna Dowell slugged her second home run of the season – the fourth of her Auburn career. Both of her home runs this season have been hit off Trojan pitchers.
- Makenna Dowell recorded her 12th multi-hit game and her ninth multi-RBI game of her Auburn career.
- Makayla Packer recorded her team-leading fifth multi-hit game of the season.
- Shelby Lowe has struck out at least 10 batters in four of her seven starts.
UP NEXT
The Tigers returned to Jane B. Moore Field to open Southeastern Conference play against No. 4 Alabama. The three-game series begins on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.