Auburn beat both St. John’s and Seton Hall with nearly identical run-rule scores to sweep the Saturday double-header at Jane B. Moore Field.
“Today’s games were a lot different than yesterday’s,” said head coach Mickey Dean. “Because yesterday both those pitchers from those teams challenged us, they came at us. And today what they did was they put in pitchers who didn’t challenge us. They allowed us to get ourselves out, and we were able to make the adjustments.”
Auburn faced St. John’s for its first game of the double-header and came away with the run-rule win with a final score of 9-0.
Maddie Penta faced St. John’s for her second start and win of the season, putting her record at 2-0. She pitched a complete game and gave up no runs and only one hit. Penta struck out seven and walked one to improve her ERA to 1.17 on 75 pitches.
Offense started out slow for the Tigers to begin the game, scoring two runs through the first three innings. Sophomore Makayla Packer scored the first run in the first inning due to a sac fly by freshman Nelia Peralta.
Freshman Jessie Blaine scored the second run for the Tigers in the bottom of the second inning by way of a Carlee McCondichie triple.
“You know, I’m really glad we didn’t let it get to us,” said freshman Bri Ellis. “We didn’t quit. Some of us were struggling with this new pitcher, whether it be the offspeed or the rise ball or the drop ball, but I think by the end of the game we definitely figured it out and we found out ways to score runs and get on base.”
Feb. 12, 2022; Auburn, Ala. Freshman Bri Ellis prepares to catch a ball while playing first base in a game against Seton Hall during the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field.
The offense started rolling in the beginning of the fourth inning. Three runs were scored in the bottom of the fourth inning, and five were plated in the bottom of the fifth to lift the Tigers to the run-rule win, the last two coming from a home run by the freshman Ellis.
“I was mad because he called a low, inside pitch a strike,” Ellis said. “And then I swung at a changeup, which was awful. So I told myself, ‘You better not let that low, inside pitch get you for called [strike] three,' so really I just saw it and swung as hard as I could and it went over the fence and it was great.”
Several Auburn players had a productive day at the plate. Junior Lindsey Garcia went 2-for-3 with two singles and one RBI, as well as collecting three stolen bases to bring her average up to .375.
McCondichie continued her tear at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a triple and a single to collect three RBIs and to bring her average to .833.
“Everyday at practice, you know, I’ve been hitting off the tee, trying to stay short to the ball," McCondichie said. “I’m not trying to hit it over the fence, I'm just trying to hit it as hard as I can.”
As the hitter in the nine spot, McCondichie’s main role is to get on base to turn the lineup over to the top.
“I actually told my assistant coach earlier I love being in the nine spot,” McCondichie said. “I love turning the lineup back over. I just love being there and I love doing that for my teammates.”
Auburn also played a clean game defensively, having no fielding errors and turning a double play in the first inning. Even though the Tigers did get caught in a double play themselves, they did collect seven total stolen bases: Garcia with three, Packer with three and sophomore Denver Bryant with one.
Feb. 12, 2022; Auburn, Ala; Makayla Packer (10) runs to first base during a game against Seton Hall from Jane B. Moore Field.
Auburn next faced Seton Hall to finish out the Saturday double-header with another run-rule victory 9-1.
Shelby Lowe got the start for the Tigers in the circle.
There was a bit of trouble in the first inning, where a fielding error coupled with a sac bunt and a double allowed an unearned run to score. However, Lowe recovered and remained sharp throughout the rest of the game, striking out six and allowing only four scattered hits while throwing 65 pitches.
Feb. 12, 2022; Auburn, Ala; Shelby Lowe (55) pitches the ball while Bri Ellis (77) prepares to play defense against Seton Hall in the Tiger Invitational from Jane B. Moore Field.
Auburn also started out slow on offense, only collecting one hit through two innings of play, which was a double by freshman Aubrey Lisenby in the bottom of the second inning. That was the only hit the first time through the lineup for the Tigers.
“You know, I’m really glad we didn’t let it get to us,” Ellis said. “We didn’t quit. Some of us were struggling."
However, offense picked up in the third and fourth innings, scoring two runs in each. Cox continued her steady hitting, scoring Packer with a double to tie the game up at one apiece.
Peralta next hit a single that scored the runner and gave Auburn the lead.
Lisenby had a double and Garcia had an RBI single, scoring another run for the Tigers in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Bryant scorched a single up the middle to move runners to the corners, and McCondichie’s fielder’s choice allowed for the second run of the inning to score.
Auburn then put a five-run frame in the bottom of the fifth inning to score nine unanswered runs to give the Tigers their second win of the day. A hit by pitch, three consecutive hits, a walk and a home run by Bryant were all done with two outs.
Several Auburn players picked up the momentum offensively and had a good game at the plate.
Garcia once again went 2-for-3 with a single and triple while tallying two RBIs. Bryant also went 2-for-3 with a single and the game-ending home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, as well as collecting two RBIs. Lisenby had a perfect game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a single and one RBI.
“It was great. It was very exciting,” Bryant said about her home run. “Freshman year, I tore my labrum in my shoulder, so I was in and out of the lineup, but this year I got my shoulder fixed and I feel like I’m ready to go. It’s going to be a whole different season.”
Feb. 12, 2022; Auburn, Ala; Denver Bryant (7) prepares to catch the ball while playing first base in a game against Seton Hall in the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field.
Dean also had some thoughts on how they have been performing so far this opening weekend.
“What’s beneficial is we’re getting as many kids in as possible, trying to get them at-bats, trying to get them on defense, so that as the season progresses, and they’re in there, they’re comfortable,” Dean said. “What’s nice to see is our kids get rewarded for the hard work that they have put in and to actually see it come to play. The season is very long, so it’s not a sprint, it's a marathon.”
Auburn will close out the tournament tomorrow afternoon by playing UMass Lowell at 12:30 p.m. CST from Jane B. Moore Field.
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Emily Porch is a senior from Sylacauga, Alabama. She joined The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @emilycporch
