LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 18 Auburn softball (27-4, 6-3 SEC) took a three-run lead into the seventh inning, but No. 18 Kentucky (22-7, 3-3 SEC) rallied late to walk off a 5-4 victory at John Cropp Stadium on Sunday to claim the series.
"Our defense let us down today," said head coach Mickey Dean. "We had five errors on routine, easy plays. We would never have faced the heart of Kentucky's lineup in the seventh with a clean game. We played hard, but we have to do the little things."
The freshman class was key to Auburn's offense as Bri Ellis and Jessie Blaine combined for three solo home runs. Ellis went 2-for-3 with two RBI behind her first multi-home run game of her young career. Freshman Aubrie Lisenby also turned in a two-hit performance with a crucial RBI in the sixth.
Sophomore Shelby Lowe turned in her longest outing in Southeastern Conference play this season. Lowe tossed 6.1 innings as she scatted six hits. Kentucky scored three runs off Lowe with only two being earned. Lowe struck out nine and did not give up a walk. Sophomore Maddie Penta (17-2) came into the game in relief in the seventh and was tagged with the loss.
Auburn plated the first run of the game in the top of the second with a solo home run from Ellis. The home run was the 10th of her freshman season. She joins Kasey Cooper as the only two Auburn freshmen to hit double-digit home runs. Cooper holds the program's freshman record with 18.
The freshman bomb squad went back to work in the top of the fourth inning as Blaine and Ellis both delivered solo home runs. For Ellis, it was her first multi-home run game of her young career.
On the first pitch of the home half of the fourth, Erin Coffel knocked a solo home run down the line in left. A single up the middle was followed by an Auburn error and a sacrifice bunt put the tying runs in scoring position, but Lowe ended the threat with back-to-back strikeouts. Lowe continued her ice-cold performance in the fifth as she once again stranded the tying runs in scoring position.
The Tigers manufactured a huge insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Lindsey Garcia doubled to left and came around to score on a two-out single down the line in left off the bat of Lisenby.
Kentucky's offense did its damage in the seventh as the Wildcats plated a total of four runs. Renee Abernathy walked off the game with a three-run homer to right center.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to nonconference action on Wednesday, March 30 with a midweek tilt against Alabama State at 5 p.m. CT. Wednesday's contest is also Auburn softball's annual Bark in the Park contest as fans are encouraged to bring their favorite four-legged friends with a purchase of a specialty ticket.