LEXINGTON, Ky. – Auburn softball scored two unanswered runs as SJ Geurin silenced Kentucky’s offense in relief to carry the Tigers to a 2-1 win and series victory Saturday at John Cropp Stadium.
“It was a hard-fought weekend,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “That’s what conference series are supposed to be about. Both pitching staffs threw really well. We played good defense and minimized base runners. That really was the difference as the weekend went on. It was huge to come out of here with two wins this weekend. Hopefully it helps get the monkey off our backs and allows us to settle in through the remainder of the conference season.”
The win was the 17th come-from-behind victory for the Tigers, which leads the country. It was Auburn’s first series win in Lexington since sweeping the Wildcats in 2016.
Six of Auburn’s nine starters recorded hits in the contest. Nelia Peralta earned the lone RBI, which tied the game up in the third inning. She also extended her hit streak to nine consecutive games.
It was Geurin that powered Auburn to the victory. In her five innings of relief, she allowed just two hits while striking out three Wildcats to improve to 17-7 in the circle. Haley Rainey earned the start and went two innings for the Tigers.
After a scoreless first inning, Kentucky struck in the second frame. Cassie Reasner led off with a single up the middle before moving all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left center.
The Tigers used a two-out rally to get right back into the contest in the top of the third. Abbey Smith knocked a bunt single before moving herself into scoring position with a stolen base. Peralta drove her home with a single up the middle to lock the game at 1-1.
Ma’Nia Womack and Kylie Brockman led off the fifth inning for the Tigers with back-to-back singles. Kentucky erased one runner with a fielder’s choice before Smith loaded the bases with a one-out walk. A Wildcat error at shortstop helped bring in the go-ahead run for the Tigers.
After coming into the game in the third inning, Geurin retired nine consecutive batters in her relief outing. Kentucky would not see a base runner until an error in the sixth inning allowed a Wildcat to reach safely.
AnnaLea Adams made the diving out on a pop up on off a bunt attempt to record the first out, but a single to right field put runners on the corners for Kentucky. It was just the second Wildcat hit of the game.
Geurin answered with her third strikeout to record the second out. Kentucky stole second on the strikeout to move the go-ahead run into scoring position, but Rose Roach held on to a line drive at second base to get the Tigers out of the jam.
A two-out single brought the winning run to the plate for the Wildcats in the bottom of the seventh, but Smith recorded the final out with a fly ball to center.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field on Wednesday for the final home midweek tilt of the season as the Tigers host UAB in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. CT. Both contests are available on the SEC Network+.