PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Fighting through rain and a Wichita State (2-2) seventh-inning rally to force extras, No. 25 Auburn softball (2-1-1) came through with timely hits to open the PV College Challenge with an 8-6 victory Wednesday at Nancy Almarez Stadium.
"Our offense did their job in that final inning," said head coach Mickey Dean. "Proud that they were able to fight back to finish the game out."
It was all Tigers through the first six innings as Auburn held a 6-1 lead. Auburn only needed three hits to plate its six runs as the Tigers scored twice in the second inning with RBI singles from Skylar Elkins and Rose Roach. Auburn scored four runs in the fourth frame with the help of seven free passes.
Maddie Penta (1-1) was virtually untouchable in her third start of the season. Through five innings, Penta allowed just one run off three hits. Her lone mistake was an Addison Barnard solo home run in the third inning. Penta struck out eight, including the 700th of her Tiger career, before she was lifted for the bullpen in the sixth.
Penta joined Auburn pitching greats Anna Thompson, Holly Currie and Kristen Keyes as the only Tigers in program history to reach 700 career strikeouts.
Following a Wichita State grand slam in the seventh inning to make it a one-run game, Penta returned to the circle. A fielding error and a pair of wild pitches aided by the rain plated an unearned run to lock the game at 6-6.
Starting the eighth inning with a runner placed on second base with the international tiebreaker rule in place, Auburn took advantage of a wild pitch, hit by pitch and a stolen base to put two in scoring position with one out.
Roach picked up her second RBI of the night, trading an out for a run to put the Tigers in front. Nelia Peralta added insurance with an RBI single up the middle.
With a two-run lead, Penta retired the three batters she faced in the bottom of the eighth in order to secure the win. She'd close the night with 10 strikeouts for her first double-digit effort of the season.
Auburn returns to diamond on Thursday for a doubleheader slate on the second day of competition in Mexico. The Tigers face UC Davis at 12 p.m. CT before taking on No. 13 Utah at 2:30 p.m. CT. Both games are available to stream with a FloSoftball account.