TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After dropping the series opener, No. 19 Auburn softball (34-14, 10-7 SEC) responded in the afternoon rematch to split Saturday's doubleheader with No. 14 Alabama (34-14, 10-7 SEC) at Rhoads Stadium.
"We stayed with it all day," said head coach Mickey Dean. "It wasn't the prettiest performance, but it was a good day overall. We need to be better on defense. We rushed a couple plays that we didn't need to rush."
Alabama jumped out to a first-inning lead in Saturday's opener and used its ace Montana Fouts to clinch a 6-1 victory to open the series. Maddie Penta went the distance in game two of Saturday's doubleheader to clinch her 20th victory of her junior season. Denver Bryant and Bri Ellis both homered to carry Auburn to a 5-1 win.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak to Alabama and was Auburn's first win over the Tide since 2018.
Nelia Peralta led the Tigers at the plate during Saturday's doubleheader, going 4-for-6 with a double and an RBI. Bryant drove in four runs Saturday behind a pair of home runs to push her total to five on the season. Bryant broke up Alabama's shutout bid in the sixth inning of the series opener with a solo shot.
Alabama took a first-inning lead in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, manufacturing a run with a pair of doubles. Shelby Lowe and the Tiger defense settled down with back-to-back outs to limit the damage.
After giving up the first-inning doubles, Lowe retired eight straight to keep it a one-run game until the fourth inning. Alabama led off the frame with a solo home run. Stringing together four hits in the fifth, Alabama plated three runs to push its lead to 5-0.
Auburn broke up the no-hitter in the fourth as Peralta led off with an infield single to third. The Tigers moved the run into scoring position but couldn't bring anything across until the sixth inning. Bryant launched the first pitch of the frame to straightaway center for a solo homer. Peralta added a one-out double in the sixth, but Auburn settled for the lone run.
A defensive miscue plagued the Tigers in the sixth as Alabama plated an unearned run to push the lead to 6-1. Ellis led off the seventh with a walk, but the Tigers couldn't muster a late rally.
Lowe suffered the loss to fall to 5-5 in the circle. Tossing 4.1 innings, Lowe gave up a pair of runs off four hits. She struck out three in the contest. Annabelle Widra closed out the game for the Tigers, recording a strikeout.
Game two of Saturday's doubleheader featured an unusual start. In what was originally ruled an inning-ending double play and upheld by first replay review was ultimately overturned to keep the Tigers at the plate. Auburn capitalized on an error to bring Bryant to the plate with two outs. Bryant connected with her second home run of the afternoon to put Auburn up 3-0.
A leadoff walk came back to bite the Tigers in the bottom of the inning. After a fielding error put runners on the corners, a two-out single up the middle plated the run to cut the lead to 3-1.
Makayla Packer caused chaos on the base paths in the second. Beating out an infield single to get on board, Packer swiped second and took advantage of an errant throw to stand at third. Packer scored on a sacrifice fly to center from Peralta.
Ellis plated some appreciated insurance to lead off the top of the sixth with a solo home run to right field. The home run was the 12th of Ellis's sophomore campaign and the 32nd of her collegiate career. The Tigers are now 12-0 this season when Ellis knocks a home run.
Going the distance for her 11th complete game of the year, Penta allowed one run off three hits and a walk while striking out seven. Earning her 20th victory of the season, Penta became the first Auburn pitcher since Kaylee Carlson (2017, 2018) to record at least 20 wins in back-to-back seasons.
"Penta performed really well today," Dean said. "She was nervous that first inning. There are a lot of people here. It was a big day for Alabama softball, being 'Montana Fouts Day'. She settled down. She did her thing."
The series is on the line in Sunday's rubber match at Rhoads Stadium. The Tigers and Tide have the national stage as first pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. CT on ESPN. Auburn is searching for its first series win over Alabama since 2018 and its first in Tuscaloosa since 2017.