MADISON, Ala. – No. 17 Auburn softball (11-1) cut it to a one-run game, but Louisiana Tech (6-5) score three runs in the sixth to take down the Tigers 5-1 Friday at Toyota Field to open the Rocket City Showcase.
“Biggest difference was a lack of response from our team once we got behind,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “That’s the first time we’ve seen that this season. We tried to snap out of it and manually do some things. At the end of the day, we were in a rut that we couldn’t get out. Louisiana Tech wanted that game. We never made the adjustment to (Allie) Floyd in the circle. They capitalized on every defensive mistake we made. We’ve got to do a better job at showing up and competing. We just didn’t have that today.”
Offensively, Auburn only recorded one hit in its first loss of the season. Rose Roach knocked a one-out bunt single in the third. A pair of Auburn walks later in the inning loaded the bases before pinch runner Thalia Martin scored the lone Auburn run on an errant third to third base.
The run cut Louisiana Tech’s lead to 2-1. The Bulldogs capitalized on a pair of Auburn errors in the second innings to score two unearned runs on a Nicole Hammoude home run
That 2-1 score held until the sixth frame when the Bulldogs scored three with the help of four hits, including their second home run of the game.
Chalea Clemmons (3-1) earned the start and set a career high with six strikeouts in the outing. She gave up just two unearned runs off two hits over the first five innings. She left game after 5.1 innings of work, a career best, giving up four total hits, two earned runs and a walk. Haley Rainey tossed the final 1.2 innings of relief and was changed with one earned run off a pair of hits.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Toyota Field on Saturday for a doubleheader slate, starting at 10 a.m. CT. The Tigers are scheduled to play North Alabama before immediately following the contest with Miami (Ohio). Both games are available on FloSoftball, which requires a paid subscription to stream.