No. 21 Auburn took the first game of SEC play in the conference-opening weekend versus No. 19 Georgia with a final score of 6-5 in a comeback bid on Friday, March 10, in Athens, Georgia.
The Tigers’ bats needed to come alive to defeat the powerful Georgia lineup, and come to life they did.
Sophomore Nelia Peralta started the game off with a bang with a solo home run to put Auburn up 1-0 early. Peralta was one of three Tigers to homer on Friday night, being joined by senior Lindsey Garcia and sophomore Bri Ellis.
The game was all tied up at four in the top of the fifth inning before Garcia blasted the go-ahead home run to put the Tigers in front. Garcia finished the night with two hits and two RBIs in three plate appearances while also collecting a double to add to her home run.
A trio of Auburn pitchers were called upon to defeat the Bulldogs.
Junior Shelby Lowe got the nod in the circle to begin the game. After running into some trouble in the bottom of the third inning by giving up three runs, head coach Mickey Dean made the call to the bullpen and brought in sophomore Annabelle Widra. After collecting the win, junior workhorse Maddie Penta was brought in to complete the game and earn the save.
As a staff, Auburn collected seven strikeouts (four by Penta), 12 hits and allowed five runs. Even only pitching 2.2 innings, Widra preserved her perfect record (7-0) and only allowed one run. Penta worked the last three innings for the Tigers and only gave up one run in the bottom of the seventh inning before putting away the Georgia bats for good.
Alongside Garcia, junior Makayla Packer also had a productive night in both the field and at the plate. Going 2-for-3 with two singles, Packer also scratched a stolen base, which ties her at third for most stolen bases (42) in program history.
Georgia started senior Shelby Walters in the circle. She pitched for 3.1 innings, giving up four runs and striking out two before junior Madison Kerpics came on in relief.
Kerpics was handed the loss after giving up the Garcia home run in the top of the fifth inning. She totaled 2.2 innings on the night and only gave up the two runs.
As predicted, the Georgia bats put up a fight to the very end.
The Bulldogs’ Sara Mosley and Jayda Kearney had themselves a night. Mosley racked up a double as well as a home run to complete her night at the plate. Kearney went 3-for-4 at the dish and recorded a double.
It looked like the Georgia bats were going to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. A single and a passed ball put a runner on second for the Bulldogs. A strikeout by Penta for the second out had the Bulldogs down to their last chance. An RBI single by Ally Kurland scored the run, but Packer hosed her down at second base for the final out of the game and the win.
Due to some bad weather forecasted in Athens, the rest of the series has been moved to be completed in a doubleheader tomorrow, March 11. The first pitch of the second game is still scheduled for 11 a.m. CST, but the last game of the series is set to start exactly one hour after the conclusion of the second game.
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Emily Porch is a senior from Sylacauga, Alabama. She joined The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @emilycporch
