AUBURN, Ala. – It was a tale of two games as No.21 Auburn softball (13-1) used its bats to run rule Delaware State (0-7) in five innings before relying on its pitching staff to edge out Bradley (6-7) in a one-run game on Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Tigers improved to 3-0 after two days of competition at the Plainsman Invite. Auburn is now 8-0 in its home contests.
"We'll take the wins, but we have some things to work on," said head coach Mickey Dean. "I'm proud of our kids. Bradley played us really tough. They were able to keep us off-balance at the plate. There are always things we want to get better at, but we have some things we're executing well. We'll go watch the film and really digest our play today, especially after a close game like this."
With 20 different players seeing action in the contest, Auburn truly relied on a team effort in its 9-0 victory over Delaware State. The Tigers ended the game in five innings for its sixth run-rule victory of the season.
Eight different Tigers recorded a hit in the contest. Auburn picked up four extra-base hits against Delaware State with doubles from freshman Rose Roach, sophomore Denver Bryant and junior Lindsey Garcia as well as a solo home run from freshman Nelia Peralta. Bryant added three RBI in the contests. Freshman Jessie Blaine also recorded a multi-RBI performance with two.
Sophomore Maddie Penta earned the start, striking out two batters in the first inning. After the Tigers scored six runs in the bottom half, Auburn brought senior Samantha Yarbrough in close the game. Yarbrough gave up one hit, one walk and one hit by pitch over her four innings of work while striking out five to earn her first victory of the season.
In the night cap against the Braves, Auburn kept Bradley off the board until the seventh inning. Bradley scratched across an unearned run before sophomore Shelby Lowe shut the game down for her second save of the season.
Sophomore Makayla Packer delivered the difference-making hit with a solo home run in the fifth. Freshman Aubrie Lisenby also picked up an RBI in the contest.
Penta returned to start game two of the doubleheader. The right-handed tossed 6.2 innings, scattering five hits and giving up one run. In her second double-digit strikeout performance of the season, Penta fanned 15 and did not issue a free pass as she improved to 6-0.
"During warmups, I could tell that my velocity was on and that my rise ball was working for me as well as my changeup," Penta said. "I just went out there and competed for my teammates. I know that they have my back, so I do it for them."
Lowe faced the final batter of the game, forcing a ground ball to first to earn the save.
DELAWARE STATE SCORING SUMMARY
Auburn led off the game loading the bases with a pair of singles and a walk. Blaine put the Tigers on the board with a one-out single to right field that plated two. Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly to right field.
After a walk to senior Aspyn Godwin, Bryant doubled to left field to plate two more Auburn runs and took third base on a throw to the plate. Junior Carlee McCondichie beat out a bunt back to the pitcher for a base hit to plate the sixth Auburn run of the first inning.
Peralta extended Auburn's lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the season with a home run to left center. Garcia led off the third with a double to right field before coming around to score on a sacrifice fly from Bryant.
Auburn's final run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth. In her first plate appearance of the season, freshman Kenadie Cooper drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Roached doubled her home with a shot to right center.
BRADLEY SCORING SUMMARY
Garcia extended her hit streak to eight games as she led off the bottom of the second with a double to right center. Lisenby dropped a single to shallow right field. The freshman was thrown out trying to reach second but picked up an RBI as Garcia was able to score off the hit.
Auburn would not score another run until the bottom of the firth as Packer slugged her solo home run to center, her fifth of the season.
Bradley got a pair on in the seventh with help of an Auburn error and a single up the middle. Penta forced a pop up for the second out of the inning, but a single to center allowed a run to score. Lowe entered the game and needed just three pitched to force a ground ball for the win.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field on Sunday for the final day of competition at the Plainsman Invite. The Tigers will face Syracuse at 11:30 a.m. CT before taking on ULM at 2 p.m. CT. Sunday's doubleheader will air on the SEC Network+