Softball stuns No. 9 Clemson, falls in extras to Pitt

Softball stuns No. 9 Clemson, falls in extras to PittSoftball stuns No. 9 Clemson, falls in extras to Pitt
David Gray/Auburn Tigers
  • Game 1
  • Game 2
Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Battling a pair of ACC programs in day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Auburn softball (3-2) handed No. 9 Clemson (3-1) its first loss of the season before falling in extra innings to Pitt (3-1) Saturday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.

“We had an uphill battle to climb against Pitt,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “We had an emotional first game and had to flip the page and go again. Kudos to the team. We were down big early and clawed back into it. It huts to not finish that one off, but they fought. They competed. To even take the lead back shows a lot of what this team is made of.”

Auburn jumped out to an early lead over Clemson and did not let off the gas, cruising to a 10-5 victory to pick up its first ranked win of the season. Pitt had an 8-2 lead in the third inning, but the Tigers clawed all the way back and ultimately fell 11-12 in extra innings.

Junior Alyssa Hastings led Auburn at the plate with a 4-for-6 effort across Saturday’s doubleheader. She added two RBI and scored a run. Sophomore AnnaLea Adams knocked four hits, including a double and two home runs to pick up four RBI. Haven Roebuck knocked three hits, including two doubles, and led the team with six RBI.

Ella Harrison earned the victory in Auburn’s win versus Clemson with a complete-game effort. She struck out a six in her win as a Tiger. SJ Geurin tossed 7.1 innings of relief in Auburn’s comeback bid versus Pitt, totaling five strikeouts.

AUBURN 10, CLEMSON 5

Auburn used two-out magic to build a first-inning lead in its opening contest. With senior Destiny Rodriguez aboard with a two-out double to left, Adams connected with her first home run of the season.

A two-out rally worked yet against in the top of the second as Rodriguez knocked an RBI single through the left side to score junior Georgia Lessmann and build a 3-0 lead.

Clemson was able to get a run back in the bottom of the frame after taking advantage of an Auburn error. Another Auburn error in the fourth inning plated a second Clemson run, cutting Auburn’s lead to 3-2.

Auburn answered in the top of the fifth as Adams singled to right field and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Roebuck drove in the insurance run with a single to right field before moving an additional base off a Clemson error. Roebuck took third on a passed ball before junior Kylie Brockman drove her in on a sacrifice fly to push Auburn’s lead to 5-2.

Sophomore Kylie Shaw set the table in the top of sixth with a one-out single. Junior Ma’Nia Womack doubled her home to extend Auburn’s lead by four. Clemson responded in the home half, scoring two unearned runs with help of an Auburn error.

Auburn broke open the game in the top of the seventh as a hit by pitch, walk and passed ball put two in scoring position with no outs.

Freshman Daigle Wilson singled through the left side to pick up an RBI before Brockman doubled home two more Auburn runs. Alyssa Hastings made it a 10-4 contest with an RBI single through the right side.

Clemson scored its final run in the bottom of the seventh with help of the fourth Auburn error of the contest. All five of Clemson’s runs were unearned.

Harrison went the distance to earn her first win in an Auburn uniform. She allowed just six hits while scattering six walks She struck out a season high six batters.

Shaw, Rodriguez and Adams all tuned in multi-hit efforts versus the Tigers of the ACC. Adams drove in a pair of runs while Brock set a season high with three RBI.

AUBURN 11, PITT 12 (9 INN.)

Auburn found itself in an early hole as Pitt scored four runs in the top of the first off four hits and two walks. Roebuck cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame with a two-out double, but Pitt answered with a second four-run inning to hold an 8-2 lead after two.

The Tigers responded with seven unanswered runs. Adams started the comeback bid with a solo home run in the third frame. Rodriguez added a solo home run in the fifth to cut Pitt’s lead to 8-4.

Auburn scored five runs in the fifth innings. Roebuck delivered the game-tying hit with a two-out, three-run double. Brockman followed with an RBI single to left field to give Auburn a 9-8 advantage, but Pitt connected with a solo home run in the top of the seventh to tie the game and force extras.

With the international tiebreaker rule in play, Pitt and Auburn traded runs in the eight to make it a 10-10 contest. Pitt was able to push across two runs in the top of the ninth to take a 12-10 lead. Hastings drove in a run with an RBI single to right field to get the tying run on board for Auburn, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize.

Geurin (1-1) tossed 7.1 innings of relief and allowed just one earned run. She scattered five hits and three walks while striking out five. Freshman Charley Butler earned the start and recorded three strikeouts.

Brockman and Hastings both went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the night cap. Roebuck tallied five RBI off her two hits. Rodriguez and Adams both turned in two hits and two RBI versus the Panthers. Both of Adams’ hits went for extra bases.

GAME NOTES

  • Delaney Aumua earned the first start of her collegiate career with the nod in right field versus Clemson. Aumua recorded the first hit of career in the contest with a single to center.
  • Melania Loustari made a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth inning versus Clemson to make her collegiate debut.
  • Charley Butler earned her first start of the season with the nodded versus Pitt.
  • Destiny Rodriguez recorded her first double in an Auburn uniform in the first inning versus Clemson. It was her ninth double of her career.
  • With multiple hits in both contests, Rodriguez now has three multi-hit games this season and 16 in her career.
  • Rodriguez hit her first home run in an Auburn uniform with her solo blast in the fifth inning versus Pitt. It was her first home run since 2024. She now has six in her career.
  • AnnaLea Adams slugged the first home run of her sophomore season with a two-run blast in the first inning versus Clemson. She added her second home run of the season with a solo shot in the third inning versus Pitt. She now has 12 career home runs.
  • Adams recorded multiple hits and multiple RBI across both of Saturday’s games to bring her season totals to two multi-hit games and two multi-RBI games. She now has 16 career multi-hit games and 15 career multi-RBI games.
  • Ma’Nia Womack slugged her first double of the season in the sixth inning versus Clemson. It was the second double of her career.
  • For the third time in five games, Kylie Shaw has recorded two hits. She has three career multi-hit contests to her credit.
  • Daigle Wilson’s RBI single in the top of the seventh versus Clemson was the first hit and RBI of her collegiate career.
  • Kylie Brockman recorded a season high three RBI versus Clemson for her second multi-RBI game of the season. She has now recorded five career multi-RBI games.
  • Brockman set a career high with three hits versus Pitt. It was her second multi-hit contest of the season and the fifth of her career.
  • Ella Harrison went the distance versus Clemson for his first complete game as a Tiger and her 19th career complete game effort. Harrison’s win was her first as a Tiger and her 13th career win. She struck out a season high six.
  • With two hits versus Pitt, Haven Roebuck recorded her second multi-hit contest. She closed the game with a season high five RBI. She is the first Auburn Tiger to record five RBI in a contest since Kylie Brockman vs. Troy on March 5, 2025.
  • Alyssa Hastings set a season high with three hits versus Pitt. It was her first multi-hit game of the season and the 31st of her career.
  • Auburn’s win over Clemson was its seventh top-25 win in the Malveaux era. Auburn improved to 7-19 against ranked foes since the Malveaux took the helm

UP NEXT

Auburn concludes the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday versus Penn State. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. CT. Contest is available to stream for free on GameChanger, which can be accessed via phone, laptop or tablet.  

BACK AT HOME

Opening Weekend on the Plains is set for Feb. 12-15 as the Tigers host the War Eagle Classic. The tournament begins on Feb. 12 as the Tigers take on Illinois at 5 p.m. CT on the SEC Network+. Auburn softball will honor the late Mike “Helmet Guy” Cooper as part of Thursday’s opener. Helemt Guy mini-helmets will be available for fans while supplies last.