Auburn (23-13-1) took on No. 23 Kentucky (27-15) Saturday losing the first of a three-game series 5-2. Auburn came into the game winning eight of its last ten games and having won its last SEC series against No. 6 LSU. Both teams had to fight almost three hours of weather delays, with the game starting over an hour late and being postponed an hour and 38-minutes in the middle of the fourth inning.
Senior Shelby Lowe took the circle for Auburn in her Senior day celebration. Lowe came out strong striking out four of the first six batters she faced. She pitched four scoreless innings striking out a total of six batters, only giving up three hits and two walks.
The game started off slow with neither team scoring a run in the first two innings. Each team had opportunities to score in the second, Kentucky left two runners stranded and Auburn’s Makayla Packer got caught stealing second after a walk.
Auburn held Kentucky scoreless again and got started the scoring started in the third. After an Annabelle Widra leadoff walk, Rose Roach hit a bunt to the pitcher resulting in a wild throw, allowing Widra to advance to third. A wild throw on a Roach steal allowed Widra to score and advanced Roach all the way to third, setting up a KK McCrary sac fly to bring her home.
Auburn's Ace Maddie Penta entered in the fifth to close out the game, but she gave up four hits and five runs over three innings to give Kentucky the lead and eventual win. A single into centerfield and a fielding error by Nelia Peralta set up a three-run homer by Kentucky’s Peyton Plotts.
Auburn was able to load the bases in the sixth after two walks and a hit by pitch. The Tigers were unable to capitalize with Icess Tresvik getting caught at home.
Kentucky would extend its lead in the seventh after an infield single, Taylor Ebbs sent a ball over the centerfield fence to make it a 5-2 game. A strikeout and two field outs ended the game in the bottom of the seventh to bring Auburn's conference record to 5-11.
“I didn’t feel like either team really had control of the game,” said Auburn head coach Mickey Dean. “We had our chances to take control but couldn’t capitalize. We just didn’t do enough offensively to put pressure on Kentucky. I don’t think they were worried about us offensively. We just couldn’t close those innings late in the game.”
Auburn only managed one hit on the day when Anna Wohlers singled down the first base line in the fifth inning. The Tigers were able to get on base other ways managing seven walks as a team and getting help from two Kentucky errors.
Auburn will look to even the series against Kentucky on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST with television coverage on the SEC Network. The matchup can be heard on the Auburn Sports Network.
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Luke McClure is a junior from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in sports production. He joined The Plainsman in fall 2023.
Twitter: @lukemcclure0
