Auburn softball began fall ball Thursday against Pensacola Junior College and Georgia Perimeter College.
The Tigers defeated Pensacola 6-0 and GPC 2-1. Head coach Tina Deese said it's extremely important to play other teams during the off season.
"The level of intensity always rises when you play an opponent," Deese said
Senior outfielder Lindsey Harrelson accounted for three of the six runs against Pensacola, scoring twice and driving in the other.
The game against GPC was more of a pitchers' duel as there was no scoring until the fifth inning.
The game was tied at one in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore catcher/outfielder Elizabeth Eisterhold drove in the game winning run.
"All we had to do was score that run and we'd be good," Eisterhold said. "I went up to the plate and did what I do."
The softball team has a different look to it this year as it added six freshmen.
"I like the gutsy, intense play of our new athletes," Deese said. "I think that's going to push the returning athletes."
With the freshmen coming in, Deese said she looks for team leadership from her upperclassmen.
"If we're going to go where we want to go this year, we're going to have to see Anna Thompson step up and rise to the occasion," Deese said. "She's done it for us for three years and she's going to have to do it again."
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