On a day that is often dubbed Elimination Saturday in the Women’s College World Series, Auburn did the one thing it had to do: survive and advance.
Auburn defeated UCLA 11-10, Saturday, May 30, to advance to the semifinals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The second highest scoring game in WCWS history included 21 runs, 28 hits and 19 walks. Every starting position player for both teams reached base at some point.
Both starting pitchers appeared to settle in early as Auburn’s Lexi Davis and UCLA’s Ally Carda kept the offenses quiet for two innings. In the third inning, however, the bats for both teams came to life.
Three of the first four batters for UCLA were walked by Davis, prompting Auburn to bring in Rachael Walters from the bullpen.
Gabrielle Maurice lined Walters’ first pitch of the game past Jade Rhodes in right field for a triple, which gave UCLA a 3-0 lead.
After Walters issued a free pass to Maddy Jelenicki, Maurice was thrown out trying to score on a Gracie Goulder bunt. The next batter, Kylee Perez, singled to right field to score Jelenicki and push UCLA’s lead to four.
Marcy Harper, the third Auburn pitcher of the inning, entered the game with runners on the corners and leadoff batter Delaney Spaulding at the plate. UCLA executed a double steal to score another run before Spaulding popped out to shortstop to end the inning.
After Auburn surrendered five runs in the top of the third, its offense came to life in the bottom of the third.
After the Tigers loaded the bases with a walk and two infield singles, Kasey Cooper drew a walk to push across a run. Branndi Melero followed with a single to right to score a second run, which forced Carda out of the game.
Selina Ta’amilo entered the circle for UCLA and walked Morgan Estell to bring in another run. Auburn shortstop Haley Fagan grounded into a fielder’s choice before Carlee Wallace unloaded the bases with a three-run double to left-center field to give Auburn its first lead of the game.
UCLA tied the game in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Mysha Sataraka, but Auburn answered once again in the bottom half of the fourth.
Emily Carosone singled and Cooper walked to set the table for Melero, who launched a three-run home run to left-center field to reclaim the lead for the Tigers.
UCLA chipped into the deficit in the top of the fifth when three consecutive singles cut the Auburn lead to 9-7.
The game stayed relatively quiet until the top of the seventh inning.
Three outs away from elimination, the Bruins put together a rally that was capped off by a two-out, two-run home run by Jelenicki.
Auburn responded in the bottom of the seventh.
Haley Fagan led off with a single and scored to tie the game when Carlee Wallace doubled to left-center field.
Both teams threatened throughout extra innings, but it was Auburn who finally broke through in the bottom of the tenth inning.
A walk by Carosone was followed by two singles from Cooper and Melero, leaving the bases loaded for Estell. The senior center fielder drew a five pitch walk to force home a run and give the Tigers the victory.
Auburn will try to win a third consecutive elimination game when it faces Florida on Sunday, May 31, at noon.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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