Auburn went 4-1 in Orlando tournament, bringing the team to an 11-1 overall record
After a tournament at the University of Central Florida last weekend the Auburn softball team improved to 10-1 for the season.
Head coach, Tina Deese, said that overall it was a good tournament and the team is getting off to a good start.
“The girls pitched really well,” Deese said. “There is still a lot of ball to be played. We aren’t satisfied, but we are working really hard to get there.”
The start of the first game was delayed four hours and fifteen minutes thanks to rain in the area.
With the first game underway Auburn picked up its first win, beating Drake 1-0 in nine innings.
At the bottom of the ninth bases were loaded when Katie Colton, a freshman from Yucaipa, Calif., hit a single, pushing Kyndall White across the plate for the game-winning run.
In the second game of the tournament the Tigers lost to 12th ranked Michigan 9-0.
After scoring only once in the first inning, Michigan broke through with five runs in the bottom of the second inning.
By the bottom of the fourth Michigan had increased its lead to 9-0.
The game was called on the eight-run rule after Michigan maintained its lead in the top of the fifth.
In the final game of the tournament Lauren Schmalz, a freshman from Pembroke Pines, Fla., pitched six innings allowing only three hits and striking out six against Birmingham Southern.
In the bottom of the second senior Jorja Bell gave the tigers a 2-0 lead.
Bell hit a single to score Myesha Finney at third and Katie Colton at second.
Following Bell was Brittany Scott with a single, putting runners at first and second.
Taryn Gray singled in both Scott and Bell home putting Auburn ahead 3-0.
When White came to bat the bases were loaded and her triple pushed the score to 6-0.
With one more score in the fifth Auburn was up 7-0.
The game ended in the sixth inning after Bell hit her first career home run pushing the score to 8-0 and putting the run rule in effect in the Tigers favor.
Schmalz, one of eight freshman, said the win of the third game was not owed solely to her.
“Everyone contributed a lot in the third game,” Schmalz said. “We are of course going to have our struggles throughout the season, but we have come out strong. The girls are great, the team is great and we are really like a big family.”
Senior Jorja Bell couldn’t agree more.
“This team is very different from others I have played on,” Bell said. “The chemistry is perfect, we are all motivated and it is going to be a good season to watch.”
Bell was excited about her home run in the third game and said, “Actually, it was my first one ever.”
