Sun and gloom took turns replacing the skies over a packed Jane B. Moore field for game two of the NCAA Tournament Regional in Auburn on Friday. The Auburn Tigers (50-9) took on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (41-16) for 2 p.m. battle on The Plains, ending in walk-off fashion for the No. 4 seeded Tigers. Carlee Wallace brought in the 2-1 winning run with a sacrifice fly to right field.
"I think that Jacksonville State did a remarkable job, that young lady in the circle had us handcuffed for seven innings." Auburn head coach Clint Myers said. "You take your hat off to them. Great game - we've got to be better. There's no doubt that we can, that's why you play."
JSU right hander Whitney Gillespie (16-3) held Auburn to just two hits with seven strikeouts and 122 pitches in a complete game for the Gamecocks. Auburn starter Makayla Martin couldn't hold it down for the Tigers and was replaced by Rachael Walters (10-3) after 2.1 innings, two hits, one run and three walks.
"I felt good coming into the game. I didn't focus too much on strikeouts. We throw to contact which.. I guess I tried to do but it was a little more fun once I started getting strikeouts to not," Walters said. "I just tried to get my team back in the game because it was a close game the whole time, strikeouts just come with that."
Walters reached a career high 10 strikeouts, allowing one walk and one hit through 16 batters. She was credited with the win when Wallace stepped in with no outs in the seventh to break the hitting handcuffs and give Auburn the victory. The pressure was on after a 3-0 count quickly changed to 3-2, but she was able to capitalize.
"I knew bases were loaded so I was really trying to have as much of a selfless at bat as I could, so I wanted to make her work and if I didn't think I could 100 percent barrel up the ball, I wasn't swinging at it," said Wallace. "I knew she had no where else to put me so the pressure was on her not me."
The Tigers will move on to face USC Upstate tomorrow with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. at Jane B. Moore Field.
"You have to go out and prove yourself and what you can do each and every day," said Myers. "That's our plan for tomorrow."
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