AUBURN, Ala. – Powered behind a three-run, Alyssa Rivera home run and a gutsy performance from Shelby Lowe in the circle, Auburn softball (24-12, 4-9 SEC) knocked off No. 12 Kentucky (29-9, 5-8 SEC) in a 5-3 shootout in win game one of the series Friday at Jane B. Moore Field.
Kentucky led off the game with an early run, but the Tigers responded with four runs in the home half of the inning that was capped off with Rivera's three-run blast. Kentucky would scratch back within one, but the Tigers plated a key insurance run in the sixth to give Lowe some breathing room.
The freshman Lowe turned in a mature performance in the circle to work around the hot-hitting Wildcats. Lowe (12-3) gave up nine hits and was charged with three earned runs; but when she needed the big out, she delivered as she left eight stranded. Lowe gave up one intentional walk and struck out 10.
"Shelby grinded tonight," said head coach Mickey Dean. "I don't think she had her best stuff, but she grinded through it. It was spectacular to watch."
Rivera did most of the damage at the plate as her lone hit was the three-run home run in the first inning. Tyler King turned in her second straight multi-hit game as she went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Justus Perry also turned in a multi-hit game as she went 2-for-4 in the game and scored Auburn's late insurance run in the sixth off a base hit from Maddison Koepke.
"The run in the sixth was huge," Dean said. "I think that sealed the game to be quite honest. There's a big difference between scoring one and two runs in the seventh. That run changed everything."
Kayla Kowalik led off the game with a single up the middle and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. After a sacrifice bunt moved Kowalik to third, Lauren Johnson beat out a two-out infield single to second to plate a run and give Kentucky the early lead.
Auburn immediately answered in the home half with back-to-back walks from King and Sydney Cox. A fielding error at third base allowed King to score and tie up the game. Rivera delivered the devastating blow with a home run to left center to extend the Tiger lead to 4-1.
Kentucky cut the lead to 4-2 after leading off the fourth inning with a Renee Abernathy solo home run to center. The Wildcats led off the fifth with three straight singles with a Tatum Spangler RBI double off the wall in center slicing the Auburn lead to one run.
The Wildcats would load the bases with an intentional walk issued to Abernathy, but Lowe fired back with a big strike out to end the inning. Lowe also faced runners in scoring positions with less than two outs in the third, but fired back with three straight outs, including a strike them out, thrown them out play.
Auburn added a much-needed insurance run in the sixth as Perry led off the inning with a single to left and swiped second to move into scoring position. Koepke drove a single up the middle. Perry was waved home. The throw to the bag was in time, but obstruction was called, allowing Perry to be ruled safe.
Kowalik led off the seventh with a single up the middle to bring the tying run to the plate. With two outs, a fielder's choice play at second was late and allowed both runners to reach safely. Facing Abernathy again, Lowe capped off the win with her 10th strikeout of the game.
TIGER TRACKS
- Alyssa Rivera slugged her first home run of the season and the 29th of her career. She is now ranks 10th in Auburn career history in total home runs, ninth in RBI (126) and eighth in multi-RBI games (34).
- Tyler King recorded her team-leading seventh multi-hit game of the season. It is her 12th in an Auburn uniform.
- Justus Perry recorded her sixth multi-hit game of the season and her 22nd of her Auburn career.
- Shelby Lowe recorded her seventh game of the season with 10 or more strikeouts. She now stands at 141 strikeouts over her freshman campaign.
ON DECK
The Tigers will go for the series win against Kentucky on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. CT on the SEC Network.