OKLAHOMA CITY – It was a tough Saturday on the diamond for No. 19 Auburn softball (22-8) as the Tigers fell short against two 2022 Women's College World Series participants during the second day of competition at the Omni Hall of Fame Classic at the USA Hall of Fame Stadium.
Auburn opened Saturday with a rematch with Northwestern (11-8). The Tigers battled from behind to take a 5-4 lead into the seventh inning, but the Wildcats walked off a 5-6 win in the seventh inning. The Tigers faced No. 1 Oklahoma in Saturday's finale with the Sooners winning 0-14 in five innings.
Icess Tresvik led the Tigers at the plate in Saturday's doubleheader, going 4-for-5 at the plate. Tresvik slugged Auburn's only extra-base hit against the Sooners with a double in the fifth inning. Carlee McCondichie knocked a pair of hits and tied for the team lead with two RBI. Denver Bryant continued her strong weekend at the plate with two hits, including her second home run of the weekend, and two RBI.
Shelby Lowe turned in another strong performance at the plate as she tied her season high with nine strikeouts against Northwestern.
Errors plagued Auburn in its opening contest against the Wildcats as two misplayed balls in the infield resulted in a pair of unearned Northwestern runs. The Tigers responded in the top of the second as Auburn led off the inning with a walk and single through the left side from Aspyn Godwin. McCondichie cut the Northwestern lead in half driving in a run with a single to right field.
Auburn led off the top of third putting a pair on base with a Tresvik single and a walk. KK McCrary doubled to left center to drive in the game-tying run. Auburn was aggressive on the bases, but Northwestern kept the game locked at 2-2 after throwing a pair of Tigers out at the plate in the inning.
Makayla Packer sparked Auburn's offense in the fourth with a one-out double. McCondichie picked apart the Northwestern defense yet again, putting the Tigers in front with a single through the right side. Bryant extended Auburn's lead to 5-2 with her two-run blast.
The slugfest continued in the home half of the fourth as Northwestern's two-run homer made it a one-run game. Lowe worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and tossed a perfect frame in the sixth to hold the game. Lowe turned in another impressive outing in the circle, striking out nine Wildcats and was tagged with only three earned runs.
The Wildcats knocked a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh, forcing the Tigers to make a pitching change. Northwestern followed with a two-run home run to walk off the win. Maddie Penta was tagged with the loss, falling to 11-3 on the season.
Oklahoma struck first in Saturday's finale, knocking three home runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Auburn found momentum and retired six straight Sooners, but Oklahoma rallied with two outs in the third innings to plate five runs. The Sooners plated five runs off five hits in the fourth inning to extend their lead.
Auburn recorded one walk and totaled four hits against the Sooners with Tresvik's double being the Tigers' lone hit for extra bases. Annabelle Widra suffered the loss in the circle, her first of the season, to fall to 7-1.
The Tigers will have a rematch with Oklahoma on Sunday. First pitch on ESPN+ is set for 2 p.m. CT.
