AUBURN, Ala. – Stringing together a walk and a pair of singles in the seventh inning, Auburn softball's spark of offense late was not enough as No. 13 Arkansas held on for a 6-1 victory in Thursday's series opener at Jane B. Moore Field.
Alyssa Rivera plated Auburn's lone run of the game with a clutch two -out single to right center to score Makayla Packer from second, but the Razorbacks stranded two with a foul out to the catcher to close the game.
"You can talk and discuss things all you want, but what it really comes down to is execution," said head coach Mickey Dean. "If there's no execution of the plan, then it's like there was no plan to begin with."
Making her first start in over a week, Maddie Penta went toe-to-toe with reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week Mary Haff as both pitchers took no hitters into the fourth inning. The Razorbacks took advantage of a pair of walks in the fourth, driving in a run off an RBI single from Aly Manzo. An Auburn error plated an unearned Razorback run.
The Tigers also broke up Haff's no-hitter in the fourth with a Tyler King single, but the Razorbacks used a double play to retire the side.
Arkansas broke up the game in the fifth inning, plating four runs. Braxton Burnside did most of the damage with a three-run home run to left center.
Auburn had base runners in both the sixth and seventh innings but could only scratch one run across with Rivera's late RBI single in the seventh.
Penta was tagged with the loss to fall to 6-4 on the season. The right-hander allowed just one hit in four innings but issued two walks and hit a batter to score two runs – only one of which was earned. Returning to action after some shoulder tightness, Penta was on a pitch limit in tonight's contest.
Samantha Yarbrough and KK Dismukes both saw action in the circle in relief. Yarbrough faced three batters and gave up two hits and a hit by pitch. She was charged with three runs. Dismukes tossed the final three innings, she gave up one run off two hits, a HBP and a walk. She struck out four in the outing.
TIGER TRACKS
- Alyssa Rivera recorded her 121st career RBI in Thursday's contest. She is now just two shy of jumping into a three-way tie with Carlee Wallace and Tatiana Fernandez for 10th in career history.
ON DECK
The Tigers look to even the series against the Razorbacks on Friday. First pitch on the SEC Network is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT.