CLEARWATER, Fla. – A two-run first inning was all Auburn softball (11-0) needed as Haley Rainey and SJ Geurin shut down Liberty’s (8-3) offense to carry the Tigers to a 2-1 win Sunday at Eddie C. Moore Complex and an undefeated weekend at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Presented by Evoshield.
“It was one of those ‘grind it out’ type of games,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “We battled the elements today as we had a few balls get caught up in the wind. That helped keep the score a little closer. We weren’t as sharp today and a little gassed, but we made things happen in the circle. We took care of the ball defensively. We did everything we could to keep them from crossing the plate.”
With the win, Auburn became the first team to go 6-0 at the Clearwater Invitational since Florida State in 2019.
Auburn opened the contest with three straight walks. KK McCrary brought in the first run of the game after being hit in the helmet with a wild pitch. Skylar Elkins followed with a single up the middle to make it a 2-0 game. Elkins and Abbey Smith were the lone Tigers to record a hit on Sunday.
Rainey earned the start, earning her second win of the season. The right hander went 4.1 scoreless innings. She scattered six hits and a walk. She struck out two in the contest.
Geurin continued her dominating weekend in Clearwater, picking up her second save of the tournament. In her 2.2 innings, the lefty gave up just two hits and a run.
The lone Liberty run scored off a sacrifice fly in the seventh innings. Geurin delivered her only strikeout of the contest to end the game and leave the tying run stranded at in scoring position.
UP NEXT
Auburn continues nonconference action at the Rocket City Showcase at Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama next weekend. The Tigers open the tournament on Friday with contests against Louisiana Tech and James Madison, starting at 1 p.m. CT. All games of the tournament are available on FloSoftball.