AUBURN, Ala. – Day three of the Jane B. Moore Memorial saw Auburn softball (16-6) split a pair of games as the Tigers dropped their rematch to No. 11 Virginia Tech (15-2) but rebounded with a run-rule victory over USC Upstate (13-5) Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field.
Offense came at a premium in Auburn’s rematch with Virginia Tech as the Tigers were held scoreless until the fifth inning. Auburn scratched two across, but it wasn’t enough as Virginia Tech held on for a 6-2 win.
Bouncing back in a big way, Auburn scored in every inning and was able to get younger Tigers into the game for quality reps as they cruised to a 13-5 victory over USC Upstate in five innings.
“It was important to bounce back,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “I’m really proud of the team. We were a little bit juiced from the first game, so being able to bounce back and let the game come to us was pivotal in what we wanted to do. Kudos to our team for being disciplined and taking advantage when they could.”
VIRGINIA TECH 6, AUBURN 2
The Hokies loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first and took advantage with a single to drive in a pair of runs. That score held until the fourth inning when Rachel Castine knocked a two-run home run. With three hits in the fifth inning, including a double and a triple, Virginia Tech pushed its lead to 6-0.
Auburn was hitless until the fourth inning when AnnaLea Adams led off the frame with a single through the right side and found life in the fifth inning. With sophomore Kylie Shaw on with a one-out walk, senior McKaela Walker singled to right field and took an extra base off the throw to third to put two Tigers in scoring position. Senior Destiny Rodriguez drove them both in with a single through the right side.
That was all the offense Auburn could piece together as the Tigers went down in order in the sixth and seventh.
Junior SJ Geurin (2-3) earned the start and was effective over her 3.2 innings of work, limiting the Hokies to five hits. She recorded a strikeout in the outing. Junior Malayna Tamborra and redshirt freshman Abby Herndon both saw relief action. Herndon was lights out in her 2.2 innings of relief, retiring all eight batters she faced in order.
GAME NOTES: VIRGINIA TECH
- Abby Herndon tossed 2.2 innings of relief which was a career high for innings pitched.
- Destiny Rodriguez recorded her seventh multi-RBI game of the season and the 11th of her career.
- With two walks, Kylie Shaw extended her reached base streak to 21 consecutive games.
AUBURN 13, USC UPSTATE 5
Upstate took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring off a sacrifice fly, but the Tigers answered immediately with four runs in the bottom of the frame.
With Shaw and Walker on base, Adams singled up the middle to drive in the tying run. After a fielder’s choice and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, redshirt sophomore Kyla Stroud doubled to right field to clear the bags and build a 4-1 lead.
Auburn led off the second with back-to-back singles from junior Alyssa Hastings and Shaw. Walker drove them home with a triple to right field before scoring on a Rodriguez sacrifice fly.
Junior Ma’Nia Womack led off the third inning with a solo home run to push the lead to 8-1.
Two walks and an infield single from junior Georgia Lessman loaded the bases with one out. A wild pitch plated one run. Freshman Diagle Wilson doubled to center to drive in two and extend the lead to 11-1.
Auburn added two more runs in the fourth. With a pair in scoring position, Hastings drove in one off a sacrifice fly while Shaw picked up an RBI with single. Shaw closed the game 3-for-4.
Upstate was able to manufacture four runs in the top of the fifth with the help of four hits and a pair of free passes, but the Tigers were able to get out of the frame with the run rule intact.
Herndon earned the start, tossing the first two innings. She was tagged for four hits but only allowed one run. She struck out three. Redshirt freshman Blayne Godfrey earned the win in relief to improve to 2-0. She tossed 2.2 innings and struck out two.
GAME NOTES: UPSTATE
- Kylie Shaw extended her reached base streak to 22 consecutive games behind a three-hit performance. Her three hits tied her career high. Shaw has recorded 10 multi-hit games this season.
- McKaela Walker slugged her second triple of the season and the third of her career. She added her sixth multi-RBI game of the season and the 11th of her career.
- Diagle Wilson slugged her first career double and recorded the first multi-RBI game of her career.
- Ma’Nia Womack knocked her seventh home run of the season and the ninth of her career. She added her sixth multi-RBI game of the season to up her career total to eight.
- Kyle Stroud slugged her fourth double of the season and matched her career high with three RBI. It was her fifth multi-RBI game of the season and the sixth of her career.
- Abby Herndon matched her career high with three strikeouts.
FEBRUARY BY THE NUMBERS
- Kylie Shaw’s .467 average over the month of February is the fourth highest batting average (min. 50 at bats) by a Tiger in the opening month of the season and the highest since 2015.
- Shaw added a .628 on-base percentage, which was the second highest behind only Tiffany Howard’s .667 on-base percentage in February of 2015.
- Shaw scored 28 runs across the month of February, which are the third most runs scored in February in program history.
- Shaw and Destiny Rodriguez both totaled 28 hits in February, which ties Tiffany Howard (2016) for the third most hit in the opening month of the season.
- Rodriguez totaled 25 RBI in February and is in a five-way tie for the third most RBI totaled in the month.
- McKaela Walker closed February by slugging at a 1.000 clip, which is the highest slugging percentage recorded by any Tiger over the first month of the season with a minimum of 50 at bats.
- McKaela Walker slugged eight home runs in February, passing Emily Carosone, Kasey Cooper and Haley Fagan for the program record. That trio all slugged seven home runs in 2015.
UP NEXT
Auburn concludes the Jane B. Moore Memorial on Sunday with an 11:30 a.m. CT contest with USC Upstate. Fans are encouraged to stick around postgame for “Softballs from the Sky” as the program attempts a world record for most foam softballs dropped from a helicopter. Kids ages four to 15 are invited to come onto the field postgame to catch softballs. Sunday’s game is available on the SEC Network+. Fans can listen locally on WEGL 91.1 FM or can stream the radio call on the Auburn Tigers website or mobile app.