HANCEVILLE, Ala.– After falling to Wallace State 4-0 in Sunday's opener, Auburn softball answered back with a 4-0 victory over Chipola to split the doubleheader slate and improve to 3-1 over its fall exhibition season.
Great defense and shutdown inning after shutdown inning in the circle poised for a scoreless game through the first five innings against Wallace State, but the Lions scratched across four runs in the sixth to rally for the win. Auburn stormed back against Chipola and used back-to-back home runs from junior Annabelle Widra and freshman Axe Milanowski to return to the win column.
Nine different Tigers knocked hits during Sunday's doubleheader. Junior Sydney Cox and senior Lindsey Garcia both knocked doubles Sunday to join Widra and Milanowski with extra-base hits.
As a staff, Widra, junior Maddie Penta and freshman Emmah Rolfe split the workload in the circle. Penta was the clubhouse leader in strikeouts with eight in her four innings of work. The right-hander allowed a lone hit on Sunday. Widra struck out seven through her five innings of relief spread across the doubleheader while earning the win against Chipola. Rolfe racked up six strikeouts on Sunday.
AUBURN 0, WALLACE STATE 4
Wallace State kept Auburn off balanced at the plate, holding the Tigers to four hits. Garcia was the lone Tiger to knock an extra-base hit in the contest with a double in the first inning.
The Lions did their damage in the sixth, loading the bases with back-to-back singles and a one-out walk.
On a ground ball to third, the Tigers elected to go for the play at home, but a bobbled ball allowed the run to score. The miscue proved costly as Wallace State would clear the bases with a two-out double to extend the lead to 4-0.
Auburn led off the sixth and seventh innings with singles from senior Carlee McCondichie and sophomore Jessie Blaine, respectively, but was unable to follow up with the timely hit.
AUBURN 4, CHIPOLA COLLEGE 0
After a slow start to the offense, Auburn took advantage of Chipola miscues to scratch across the first run of the game in the fourth. A two-out miscue at shortstop allowed sophomore Abbey Smith to score for second.
Auburn's 1-0 lead would hold until the sixth inning when Widra and Milanowski slugged back-to-back home runs. After Cox led off the seventh inning with a double, sophomore Nelia Peralta drove in the final run with a single through the left side.
In the circle, Widra earned the win in relief. Widra struck out six of the 11 batters she faced and allowed just one hit and a walk through three innings.
UP NEXT
The Tigers return to the diamond on Sunday, Oct. 9, making the short trek to Montgomery to face Alabama State. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT.