No. 3 Auburn relied on a pair of pitchers from California in big wins over Oklahoma State and South Florida in Clearwater, Florida, on Friday. The Tigers dominated the Cowboys 6-1 in the early game behind the arm of sophomore Kaylee Carlson, while freshman Makayla Martin led Auburn to a 6-0 win over the Bulls.
Auburn's 8-0 start is the fifth-best in program history.
Carlson struck out four Oklahoma State batters before being relieved by Rachael Walters in the fourth inning. Martin pitched a complete game against USF, limiting the Bulls to four hits.
The dominant defense was complemented by a consistent bat for the Tigers. Auburn had just five hits against Oklahoma State, but it capitalized on its scoring opportunities. A fourth-inning triple by Madi Gipson scored two, giving the Tigers a comfortable 4-0 advantage.
The bats were more active against the Bulls, as the Tigers earned eight hits in the later game. The fourth inning once again gave Auburn breathing room, as an RBI double by Jade Rhodes and a two RBI double by Kasey Cooper extended the lead to 4-0.
Auburn will attempt to improve to 10-0 on Saturday, as it takes on No. 19 James Madison and DePaul.
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