For its first road contest of the season, No. 19 Auburn (16-1) took down in-state Troy on Wednesday with a final score of 11-0 for its sixth straight shut-out.
For the Trojans, senior Leanna Johnson started in the circle and took the loss, allowing three hits and four runs, only two of them earned. Freshman Olivia Cato then entered the game in relief in the top of the fourth inning for Johnson, but allowed six hits and seven runs, all of them earned.
The only spark offensively for the Trojans came from junior Anslee Finch in the bottom of the fourth inning, where she hit a two-out single to put on the only Troy baserunner for the remainder of the game against Penta.
Junior righty Maddie Penta dominated in the circle once again for the Tigers, only allowing one hit through five innings of work, preserving her perfect 0.00 ERA as well as adding 10 strikeouts to bring her already-impressive season total up to 79.
"We really used the change up tonight," said head coach Mickey Dean. "When you have a pitcher that throws with the velocity that Maddie (Penta) does on top of a good change up, it is difficult as a hitter. Her rise ball started really popping in the second inning."
Junior left-handed pitcher Shelby Lowe made an appearance in relief for the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning, recording three strikeouts and allowing no hits over two innings to shut down the already-cold Trojan bats for the night.
With the offensive onslaught, several Tigers improved their numbers with an efficient night at the plate.
As is fitting for the player who leads the team in batting average this season (.520), senior Carlee McCondichie went 2-for-4 at the plate, collecting a double, an RBI and three runs.
Making only her sixth start of the season in center field, junior Makayla Packer went 2-for-3 at the dish, hitting two singles while also scoring a run.
As Dean likes to do, most of Auburn's starters were substituted later in the game for some fresh faces to have a turn at the plate.
Two of those batters made those at-bats count.
A bases-clearing double by senior Maia Engelkes and the first ever collegiate home run by freshman Axe Milanowski to put up six runs in the top of the seventh inning once again demonstrates the depth that will serve the Tigers moving forward.
"What I like is that half of our hits came off kids that were pinch hitting," Dean said. "That means we're ready. That means we're playing as a team. That's what is important to me. I want to look at the things that are gauges for us. I think we've had more pinch hits this year than all the last two years combined. We're playing really good defense right now. I love seeing those numbers."
Auburn will return home this weekend for its final stretch of home non-conference tournament games with the Jane B. Moore Memorial, hosting Bowling Green, South Alabama and Tennessee Tech. The Tigers will kick off the weekend with a doubleheader against Bowling Green and South Alabama starting at 3 p.m. CST.
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Emily Porch is a senior from Sylacauga, Alabama. She joined The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @emilycporch
