AUBURN, Ala. – It was another dominant pitching performance from both teams, but Auburn softball came up short Saturday as No. 1 Alabama claimed the series with a 4-0 win at Jane B. Moore Field.
Junior SJ Geurin (5-6) was sharp in her start and allowed just two runs to keep the Tigers (23-18, 2-12 SEC) in the contest. She scattered six hits and did not allow a free pass while striking out one.
“Our pitching gave us a chance,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “It’s a tough lineup to work through, and they really and truly did their jobs to give us a chance.”
After a scoreless first inning, Alabama (38-3, 11-3 SEC) led off the second with a double from Ambrey Taylor. Geurin answered with a pair of flyouts to hold her at the bag, but a two-out single from Jena Young put the Tide on the board. Brooke Wells knocked a two-out solo home run in the third to push the lead to 2-0.
Geurin and freshman Charley Butler tagged teamed to keep the Tide off the board over the next three frames. Butler was strong in relief, totaling three strikeouts in her two innings of work. She scattered a pair of hits and one walk and left runners in scoring position in both of her scoreless frames.
Redshirt freshman Abby Herndon tossed the final frame. The Tiger defense committed a pair of errors behind her that allowed two late unearned runs to score.
“It was a little uncharacteristic of us to not make those defensive plays in the seventh,” Malveaux added. “It was a tough moment, but our defense has been solid as of late.”
Offensively, the Tigers were held to a lone single from redshirt sophomore Kyla Stround. Auburn drew walks off Alabama’s Vic Morten but was unable to manufacture a run.
“(Morten) had her spin working and was able to do some things in the bottom half of the zone,” Malveaux said. “She knew when to mix at the right time. We’ve got to figure out what the issue is. We had some deep balls and line outs, but it pales in comparison to the at-bats that weren’t worth it.
We’re battling a tendency to want to be careful. The journey right now is finding our way out of it. We keep resorting to playing it safe. We’ve got to figure it out.”
GAME NOTES
- Kylie Shaw walked in the third inning to extend her reached base streak to 14 consecutive games. She has reached safely in 40 of 41 contests this season.
- Shaw is now tied with Carlee Wallace (2017) for the ninth most walks in a single season at Auburn with 42.
- Charley Butler matched her season high with three strikeouts in the contest.
UP NEXT
Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will air on SEC Network+. Fans can listen locally on WEGL 91.1 FM or stream the broadcast on the Auburn Tigers website and mobile app.
Auburn will celebrate its softball alumni in attendance, highlighted by the return of the 2016 Women’s College World Series team. The 2016 Tigers will participate in a pregame autograph session starting at 12 p.m. CT and will be honored pregame.