Shelby Lowe held Tennessee to just two runs over a complete-game performance on Sunday, but a lack of run support resulted in a 2-1 Auburn loss. The Volunteers swept the series over senior recognition weekend from Jane B. Moore Field, defeating the Tigers in all three games by one run.
Before the game, Auburn honored its 2020 senior class: Ashlee Swindle, Brittany Maresette, Tannon Snow, Kaylee Horton, Rachel Cook, Justus Perry and Alyssa Rivera. The class appeared in three NCAA Regionals and one NCAA Super Regional, while winning 170 games along the way.
The loss puts the Tigers at 1-7 over their last eight games.
"We're looking to the next pitch,” said head coach Mickey Dean. “There's nothing we can do about these three games now, whether we had won or lost them. We're looking forward."
Auburn put its only run on the board in the first inning, after a lead-off walk put Makenna Dowell on the base path. Dowell navigated her way around the bases, using a groundout to advance to second and a fly out to move to third.
Lindsey Garcia then knocked a two-out single up the middle to score Dowell and put Auburn up 1-0 in the first.
The next batter, Sydney Cox, singled to right field to put runners at the corners. It was the last time the Tigers threatened to score, with Kaylee Horton’s groundout ending the inning.
After the first inning, Auburn’s only other hit was a Cox single in the bottom of the seventh.
Tennessee’s Ashley Rogers, who ranks No. 2 in ERA within the SEC, was lights out. After entering the game in the second inning, Rogers tossed six scoreless innings. She struck out six Tigers along the way, walking none and earning the win.
Lowe turned in her 12th complete-game performance, which leads the team. The freshman from Carrollton, Ala., struck out three batters, walked two and allowed five hits in the outing.
She’s now at 162 strikeouts this season, needing nine more to climb into the No. 2-spot of all-time strikeouts by an Auburn freshman.
The trouble for Lowe was limited to just the fourth inning, where Tennessee scored twice to take its first lead and erase the shutout.
With bases loaded, the Volunteers’ Ivy Davis doubled down the right-field line. Two runners crossed the plate, which was all Rogers needed in run support from the circle.
Auburn will round out its regular season next weekend, traveling to Baton Rouge, La., to face LSU in a three-game series.
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