One game ahead of Auburn’s second self-hosted invitational of the season, the Tigers took care of business against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Jane B. Moore Field. Kaylee Carlson picked up the win, Auburn’s 10th of the season, in a 6-0 victory for Clint Meyers’ squad on Thursday night.
Carlson (6-0) pitched three innings, allowing only one hit in ten batters faced. Makayla Martin claimed the save, pitching from the fourth to seventh inning. Martin allowed a pair of hits to bring North Dakota’s total to three on the night. Each pitcher compiled three strikeouts a piece.
“The pitching was dominant,” Auburn head coach Clint Myers said. “Makayla and Kaylee both did a great job, they attacked the zone. We’re doing a good job in the circle.
"We got eight hits and I really like the way we’re running the bases. I like the way we bunted the ball tonight. It’s best to take what the defense is giving you and we were smart enough to do that. Parts of our game are starting to get much better. Defensively we're playing very well, we just have to get a little more consistent in the batter's box."
Auburn’s efforts at the plate were headed by Kendall Veach. The first baseman brought in a career-high four RBIs, three of which came in the Tigers’ offensive ignition in the third inning.
In her first attempt at the dish, Veach smacked a sacrifice fly into right field to bring catcher Carlee Wallace home from third base.
Swinging at the second pitch of the third inning from North Dakota’s Kaylin VanDomelen, Wallace recorded a double off an error from the Hawks infield. Kasey Cooper walked in the next at-bat, succeeded by a Haley Fagan single to load the bases.
Veach dropped a huge double into right centerfield, scoring Fagan, Cooper and Wallace to put the Tigers up 4-0. Catcher Courtney Shea brought Veach home from her scoring position at third base with a two-run home run later in the third. Shea’s second home run of the season notched the Tigers’ sixth and final run of the evening.
“I think we’re coming along great,” Veach said. “In practices, we’re looking really good.”
Veach’s bat has been the go-to source of offense in the early season for the Tigers. The sophomore spoke about her enhanced role in 2017.
“That was the coaches’ expectations,” Veach said. “I wanted to fill that role. It’s been going pretty good so far.”
North Dakota cycled through three pitchers in the circle, relieving VanDomelen amidst the third inning meltdown. Hannah Bergh led the Fighting Hawks in strikeouts with two and Nikki Pica recorded a single K in the sixth, her only inning pitched. VanDomelen, Dani Romero and Rachael Waynick each turned in a hit at the plate.
Auburn’s next chapter of their 2017 campaign begins with the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore. Leading off the invitational for the Tigers is their doubleheader on Friday, in which Auburn (10-1) will face UMass-Lowell in the afternoon, followed by a North Dakota rematch. Both games can be seen on the SEC Network Plus, with No. 2 Auburn and the River Hawks of UMass-Lowell squaring off at 3 p.m. CST.
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