Auburn wrapped up the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, California, with an 11-1 loss to UCLA on Sunday. UCLA, the No. 1 team in the country, mercy-ruled the Tigers in five innings.
UCLA began the day with a four-run first inning, which started when Kinsley Washington reached on an error committed by Auburn shortstop Makenna Dowell. Washington stole second base, then advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a two-out single from Maya Brady.
The two-out spree for the Bruins then commenced as they earned back-to-back walks to load the bases. Jacqui Prober then hit a base-clearing double that pushed the lead to four.
Unearned runs were a problem for Auburn, which allowed four. Three came in the first inning off Prober’s base-clearing double.
The Bruins worked four walks and totaled 14 base-runners on the afternoon, and took full advantage of it. In four innings batted, UCLA stole three bases and went 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
The offensive attack continued in the second inning for the Bruins, who added another four runs. The four runs came courtesy a two-run double by Aaliyah Jordan and a two-run homer from Brady. Brady finished the day 2-for-2 with three RBI, a walk and a home run.
All four runs from the second inning for UCLA came with two outs. While Auburn did hit .556 (5-for-9) with two outs, UCLA hit .571 (4-for-7) and had eight two-out RBI, which proved to be the difference maker in the game.
In an 8-0 hole early, Alyssa Rivera scored the Tigers’ only run with a solo home run to left center in the top of the third. Auburn got a couple hits back to back with singles by Dowell and Tannon Snow before Haley Nillen grounded out to end the inning. The Tigers finished with six hits on the day.
UCLA responded in the bottom of the frame, tacking on three more runs. RBI singles from Julie Rodriguez and Washington made it 10-1, and a sacrifice fly from Briana Perez finalized the score at 11-1.
"We need to figure out how to fight through some tough spots,” Auburn coach Mickey Dean said. “Some games, we’ve been able to do that. Some games, we haven’t. We have to continue working on getting better and understanding the game.
Now 15-0, the Bruins have mercy-ruled eight out of the 17 opponents they have faced in the young season.
Dean’s Auburn squad will now head back to Jane B. Moore Field to host the Tiger Invitational on Friday, Feb. 28 and face Georgia Southern.
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