AUBURN, Ala. – Balls were flying out of Jane B. Moore Field Wednesday evening as No. 20 Auburn softball (10-1) homered three times in en route to a 10-1 victory over UAB (7-5).
The victory was Auburn's sixth run-rule victory of the season. The Tigers have now won eight straight and are undefeated at Jane B. Moore Field.
Maddie Penta tossed three perfect frames to open the contest, striking out three of the nine batters she faced. Shelby Lowe and Annabelle Widra both saw an inning of relief with Widra adding a pair of strikeouts on the night.
Bri Ellis, Widra and Icess Tresvik all slugged home runs on Wednesday night with Ellis and Widra each going yard the first inning. Tresvik closed the night 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI. Ellis added two hits and two RBI.
Tresvik now leads the team with four home runs.
"The weight room has been helping me," Tresvik said. "Jessie (Blaine) has been pushing me in the weight room. The coaches are pushing me and the team every day to be perfect. I'm not going to be perfect, but I always strive to be."
Nelia Peralta also turned in a multiple hit performance from the top of the lineup. The sophomore went 2-for-3 with an RBI double.
Auburn's trend of first-inning scoring continued against the Blazers. With Peralta on with a single, Carlee McCondichie drove another single up the middle. The Blazers' centerfielder tried to make a play at third base, but the ball sailed into the dugout, bringing Peralta home on the error.
Jessie Blaine kept the scoring going with an RBI single through the right side before Ellis and Widra went back-to-back with a pair of home runs to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead after one.
"I'm proud of us for coming out here and putting five runs on the board in the first inning," Ellis said. "It doesn't matter who you are playing. That can be hard to do, especially in a midweek. I think we did a good job of staying focused and turning it around from school to game."
The Tigers added their sixth run in the bottom of the second as Peralta scored Tresvik with a double to right center.
Perfecting a hit and run, Makayla Packer turned on the jets and legged out a triple, scoring pinch runner Abbey Smith. Tresvik extended the Auburn lead to 9-0 with a two-run blast to left center, Auburn's third home run of the game.
The Blazers broke up the perfect game bid with two outs in the top of the fourth as Sierra Frazier slugged a solo home to left center.
Auburn ends its 11-game home slate over the weekend, hosting the Plainsman Invite. Merrimack, Brown and North Dakota State will travel to the Plains. Auburn kicks off the tournament with a doubleheader against Merrimack and Brown on Friday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.
