AUBURN, Ala. – Combining for seven total home runs, Auburn softball (15-11-1, 2-9 SEC) fell short in a slugfest against No. 4 Tennessee (27-4, 8-0 SEC) as the Lady Vols took an 8-4 win to claim the series Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field.
"We're starting to put all three phases of the game together," said head coach Mickey Dean. "It's coming. I showed the team the 'Chop Wood, Carry Water' sign. That's what we are right now. We've got to keep chopping wood and carrying water then we'll get to where we want to be. If we're not willing to chop the wood and the carry water, we're not going to get where we want to be."
All four of Auburn's runs came off home runs. KK McCrary knocked a pair of solo homers in the first and third innings. She closed the game 3-for-4. Icess Tresvik knocked a two-run homer in the fourth for her first of the season. Nelia Peralta also tallied an extra-base hit with her fourth-inning double.
Six of Tennessee's eight runs came off homers as the Lady Vols totaled four in the contest.
Shelby Lowe earned the start and suffered the loss to fall to 4-3. In one of her strongest relief outings of the season, Malayna Tamborra went 4.1 innings and recorded a strikeout.
Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m. CT on the SEC Network+.