AUBURN, Ala. – AUBURN, Ala. –A pair of run-rule victories and a no-hit performance from sophomore Annabelle Widra highlighted No. 20 Auburn softball's Friday sweep of Brown and Merrimack at Jane B. Moore Field to open the Plainsman Invite.
Widra went the distance against the Brown Bears (1-1) allowing one walk and striking out six to record the first no-hitter of her collegiate career and the 30th in program history. The Tigers (12-1) walked away with a 12-1 victory. Auburn opened Friday's slate with a 12-0 victory over Merrimack (0-3). Both contests ended in five innings.
"Everything was feeling good," Widra said. "My mindset was just to attack batters and trust my pitches. We put in so much work during the week. Tonight, it was just time to let it ride."
Auburn improved to 8-0 at Jane B. Moore Field with the sweep and recorded its 10 consecutive win. Eight of Auburn's 12 wins have come via the run rule, while the Auburn pitching staff has recorded seven shutouts.
"For about 95 percent of the game plan, Annabelle stayed ahead of hitters," head coach Mickey Dean said. "She had great defense behind her. She stayed ahead and was able to hit different quadrants. She did a nice job."
Widra also tossed two innings in her start against the Warriors. Over her seven innings, Widra struck out 10 and allowed zero hits. Emmah Rolfe earned her first collegiate victory in her relief appearance against Merrimack. The freshman tossed a pair of scoreless innings giving up a pair of strikeouts and a hit. Icess Tresvik tossed an inning of relief against Merrimack, striking out two.
Slugging at a .953 clip over Friday's doubleheader slate, Auburn totaled 10 extra-base hits with five home runs. Bri Ellis was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, two home runs, four runs scored and seven RBI. Nelia Peralta extended her hit streak to 11 consecutive games with a 3-for-4 performance, scoring four runs the leadoff spot. Tresvik slugged her team-leading fifth home run of the season and totaled four RBI.
"We did a nice job not chasing and just waiting in the batter's box," Dean said. "It comes down to putting a good swing on a good pitch."
After leading off Friday's doubleheader with a double to left center, Peralta advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to right from McCondichie. The Tigers loaded the bases with a Merrimack error and a pair of walks. Widra helped herself with an RBI single to center.
Aubrie Lisenby followed with an RBI single to right, but a base running miscue ran the Tigers into their second out of the inning. Tresvik cleared the bags with a double to right center before scoring the sixth run of the first inning on a single through the left side from Makayla Packer.
Auburn added three runs in the bottom of the second with a blast to center from Ellis, her third of her sophomore season.
Giving underclassmen reps later in the game, Abbey Smith led off the third with a bunt single to third before scoring on a Rose Roach double. Maia Engelkes knocked her first base hit of her senior campaign with a pinch-hit single to score Roach and extend the Auburn lead to 11-0.
Pinch hitting in the fourth, Kenadie Cooper slugged a double to left before advancing to third on a Smith infield single. Roach drove in her second run of the game with a ground ball to fourth to match her career high in RBI.
Widra and Rolfe was perfect in the circle until the fourth inning as Merrimack knocked a two-out double to break up the perfect game bid, but Rolfe responded with a punch out to preserve the shutout. Tresvik tossed the final inning, retiring the side in order with help of a pair of strikeouts.
Extending her hit streak to 11 consecutive games, Peralta led off Auburn's nightcap against Brown with a single to center. The Tigers strung together a pair of two-out hits with a double to left from Ellis and a single up the middle from Lindsey Garcia to give Auburn an early 2-0 lead.
Peralta and McCondichie extended the lead to 4-0, leading off the bottom of the third with back-to-back solo home runs.
Aspyn Godwin led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to right center to set the table for Tresvik, who homered to left field. With Peralta and McCondichie on base, Ellis delivered a two-out blast to put the Tigers up 9-0. The home run was the 4th of her career as the sophomore slugger now stands 12th in school history.
Widra secured the first no-hitter of her career with a pair of pop ups and a strikeout in the fifth.
Auburn returns to the diamond on Saturday for another twin billing. The Tigers face North Dakota State and Merrimack, beginning at 3 p.m. CT. Both games are available on the SEC Network+.