MADISON, Ala. – Flushing away the first loss of the season, No. 17 Auburn softball (13-1) bounced back Saturday with wins over North Alabama (10-2) and Miami (3-8) at Toyota Field during day two of the Rocket City Showcase.
“Yesterday was a struggle,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “It was good to see us find a way to get wins. Great to see the energy we had in the second game especially. We have to clean some things up, but it was good to see our team have that fight towards the end.”
KK McCrary was the hero in the in-state battle as her two RBI were the difference in the Tigers’ 2-1 win over North Alabama. After trailing 6-1, Auburn scored 10 unanswered runs to complete the 11-6 comeback win over the RedHawks.
McCrary led the Tigers on Saturday with a .500 average. She knocked three hits, including a home run, and three RBI. Her home run versus the Lions was the 100th hit of her career. Rose Roach went 2-for-5 on Saturday with four RBI. She drove in all four runs versus Miami to set a career high.
Not bad for your 100th career hit 😎#WarEagle | @MccraryCaitlyn https://t.co/SUtlXch8Is pic.twitter.com/Ap0sp5HjzU
— Auburn Softball (@AuburnSoftball) February 22, 2025
SJ Geruin and Chalea Clemmons pitched in both games of the doubleheader. Geurin earned both wins and allowed just one earned run in her 9.1 innings of work. She struck out eight total batters. The lefty improved to 8-0 this season.
Clemmons was credited with the save versus North Alabama. She struck out five on Saturday.
AUBURN 2, NORTH ALABAMA 1
UNA struck in the first inning, following up a one-out single with a double from Hailey Dover to get the Lions on the board.
Nelia Peralta immediately answered in the home half, leading off with a double. McCrary came up with the two-out single to centerfield to lock the game up at 1-1.
The tied score held until the fourth inning as McCrary led off the inning with a solo home run, her second blast of the season.
Geurin and Clemmons were virtually unbreakable in the contest. Geurin went 4.1 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out three. Clemmons tossed the final 1.2 innings. She faced runerss on the corners with one out in the top of the seventh but forced a lineout and a strikeout to preserve the win.
AUBURN 11, MIAMI 6
Peralta took advantage of a pair of RedHawk errors in the opening frame to plate the first Auburn run of the game. Miami took advantage of some small ball with an infield single, a stolen base and a pair of groundouts in the second to score a run to tie the game.
It was the third inning that Miami did its damage as the Redhawks plated five runs to build their 6-1 lead. A two-run home run from Kaylee Oh and a pair of Auburn errors drove in the runs.
Auburn returned the favor with a five-run inning of its own in the fourth. Auburn loaded the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch. Roach drove in a pair with a single to right field. Peralta made it a 6-4 game with a sacrifice fly in foul territory back to the catcher. A RedHawk throwing error allowed two more Tiger runs to score to lock the game.
Roach delivered the go-ahead runs in fifth inning with a two-out, two-run double to left field to put Auburn 8-6. Auburn added three runs in the sixth with a two-out rally. With Tresvik on board with a single up the middle, McCrary brought her home with a single to left center before freshman Annalea Adams connected with a home run to centerfield.
Clemmons earned the start and went two innings. She was tagged with four hits and three earned runs. She struck out two while issuing one walk. Geurin picked up the win in relief. In her five innings, she gave up two hits and two unearned runs. She struck out five and issued one walk.
UP NEXT
Auburn concludes the Rocket City Showcase on Sunday with an in-state battle with Jacksonville State. First pitch on FloSoftball is set for 3 p.m. A subscription is required to stream.