LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 18 Auburn softball (26-3, 5-2 SEC) battled from behind to tie the game in the third inning, but No. 8 Kentucky (21-6, 2-2 SEC) scored eight unanswered runs to walk off an 11-3 victory in the sixth inning in Friday's series opener at John Cropp Stadium.
"We left the ball over the plate too much tonight," said head coach Mickey Dean. "Even when we got ahead in the count, we gave up hits. We must be more competitive in that situation. We started the game strong at the plate, but when Kentucky made a change in the circle, we struggled to make adjustments at the plate."
Three Tigers turned in multi-hit games in Friday's opener. Freshman Nelia Peralta led the charge with a 2-for-3 performance with a pair of doubles. Peralta drove in a pair of runs with a double in the third inning to lock the game at 3-3.
Junior Lindsey Garcia went 2-for-3 at the plate with her fourth home run of the season. Senior Aspyn Godwin picked up a pair of hits with a double.
The Wildcats struck first as Renee Abernathy drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double off the wall in center. Garcia sparked the Tiger offense in the top of the second as she cut the lead to 2-1 with a solo home run to straightaway center, but Kentucky plated an insurance run in the second to push its lead back to two runs.
Auburn came out swinging in the top of the third as junior Carlee McCondichie led off the inning with a single through the left side. A fielding error on a fielder's choice followed by a wild pitch put two on board for Peralta. Auburn's RBI leader struck with a double to left center to tie the game.
Kentucky scored eight unanswered runs off Auburn's pitching duo of sophomore Shelby Lowe and junior KK Dismukes. Abernathy walked off the game in the sixth inning with a grand slam to center. Lowe suffered the loss, falling to 8-2 on the season.
UP NEXT
Auburn looks to even the series on Saturday. Game two is set for 12 p.m. CT and will be nationally on the SEC Network.