Before heading off to College Station this weekend, the Tigers hosted UAB at home for their second match this season and took their second victory against the Blazers Wednesday afternoon, April 8.
Two major back-to-back plays for Kelsey Bogaards at short, and a catch from Branndi Melero ended a quick and easy first half inning on defense.
The Tigers had a rough start at bat as Tiffany Howard’s hit was caught for an out, and Emily Carosone suffered a pitch to the back, but Kasey Cooper stepped up to drill one over the fence, making her fifteenth homerun.
The two runs from Cooper’s homerun hit would be the only ones the Tigers would plate in the first.
“I wouldn’t say we struggled,” coach Clint Myers said. “Good teams find a way to win, and we won.”
Back on the field, Auburn made a speedy return back to the batter’s box with two catches from Melero and a strikeout from Marcy Harper, allowing only one runner on base.
Offense started with an out on Morgan Estell, but Courtney Shea’s wall-hitting double hit previewed the Tigers’ three runs brought in by Carosone’s sixteenth homerun of the season.
Auburn then allowed three runs from the Blazers on defense, minimizing the score margin 5-3.
“It’s a typical midweek game,” Myers said. “ But that’s something we have to learn, there’s nothing typical about us.”
Jade Rhodes made it to first base, but was tagged out in her attempt to steal second. Although Shea was able to walk, Estell and Bogaards were thrown out shortly after to end the bottom of the third.
Starting off the fourth, Branndi Melero caught an almost-homerun from UAB, and plays from Haley Fagan and Lexi Davis on the mound allowed another scoreless inning for the Blazers.
The Tiger’s then responded with a Cooper homerun, her second of the game and sixteenth of the season, pushing her up to join Carosone and Rhodes in a three-way tie for the most homeruns his season.
“Kasey Cooper, Emily Carosone and Jade Rhodes really put good swings on balls, so good things happen,” Myer said. “It’s about putting a good swing on every time you go up there. None of them are trying to hit home runs.”
For the second time this game, the Tiger’s run streak ended with Cooper’s hit as they headed back out on defense.
Auburn held the Blazers for their second consecutive scoreless time at bat in the top of the fifth, and, after a single from Bogaards and Fagan, Howard and Carosone were walked to bring in one.
With the bases loaded, the Tigers were unable to grasp the hit needed to bring in the four runs to end the game short, and they headed back in position to hold the Blazers.
The plan was executed in Auburn style, resulting in UAB’s third straight scoreless inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Jenna Abbott drilled a pitch through the middle and brought in two to spread the score to a seven-point lead for Auburn, 10-3.
With just one point needed to end the game through the run rule, UAB made the out before Bogaards could plate home, and the Tigers were sent into the seventh inning.
On defense, Auburn allowed the Blazers to plate three more runs, including the team’s first homerun hit by Haley Davis before relieving Lexi Davis and bringing in Rachel Walters to pitch to the end.
Tiffany Howard closed out the game with a high catch and the Tigers took the win after just short of a full seven innings, 10-6.
Heading into a weekend series against Texas A&M, the Tigers are coming in with a target on their back, planning to play to the best of their ability.
“It’s not about where we are now,” Myers said. “It’s about where we end.”
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