AUBURN, Ala. – Powered by a 12-run fourth inning, No. 17 Auburn softball (20-1) completed its 13th comeback win of the season to defeat Troy 12-2 in five innings Wednesday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
“(Alyssa) Faircloth was straight up beating us,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “She was much sharper than she had been in previous games. It was becoming a head scratcher of how we were going to break into this game. This team did so an incredible job of going back to the drawing board and figure out what we could do to adjust. They just stuck to it, made it a little more personal and was able to get to her.”
The Tigers were hitless through the first three innings as Troy’s (12-9) Alyssa Faircloth struck out nine in a dominating start, but the Tigers responded in an epic way. Auburn’s 12-run fourth inning marked the first time the Tigers scored 10 or more runs in a single inning since plating 12 against Texas A&M on March 17, 2019.
Kylie Brockman was the big hero of the night with two home runs and five RBI in the fourth inning. She is the first Tiger to homer twice in the same inning since Justus Perry, who did so in the third inning versus Alabama State on March 21, 2018. The home runs were the first of Brockman’s career.
The Tigers homered four times in the fourth inning as Nelia Peralta and KK McCrary also went deep in the comeback win.
With a walk and Trojan error on a fielder’s choice, AnnaLea Adams stepped to the plate with an RBI opportunity. She sparked the fourth inning comeback with a double to left center to tie the game.
A hit by pitch to Lech put two on for Brockman, who connected with her first home run of the inning to put the Tigers in front. The hit parade only continued. With one on with help of a second Trojan error, Icess Tresvik singled up the middle to plate a run.
Peralta welcomed a Trojan relief pitcher into the game, slugging a home run on the first pitch she saw to make it an 8-2 game. After a walk to Anna Wohlers, McCrary delivered her home run to right center to keep the offense rolling. Lech drew a two-out walk to get on board for Brockman, who went deep again to finish out the 12-run frame.
Troy struck in the top of the second with a two-run home run from Kayden Dunn off Haley Rainey, who earned the start. She went three innings, giving up the two runs off three hits. She struck out one.
SJ Geurin earned the victory in relief to improve to 13-0 in the circle. She scattered one hit in the outing and recorded a strikeout. Malayna Tamborra also saw an inning of relief, retiring all three batters she faced in order.
UP NEXT
Auburn begins Southeastern Conference play on Saturday as the Tigers trek to No. 21 Mississippi State. The series opener is slated for a 5 p.m. CT first pitch on the SEC Network+.