The Tigers returned to Jane B. Moore Field for the first time in two weeks for a doubleheader against McNeese State and Rutgers to start off the Jane B. Moore Memorial Tournament Friday night.
Auburn dominated Rutgers in the first game of the night with a 5-0 shutout before the second, when they rallied past McNeese State in the sixth inning to pull out a 10-6 win.
The pitching staff from the Tigers in the opening game of the tournament held Rutgers scoreless, while timely hits powered Auburn past McNeese.
Rutgers
Auburn started the JBM Memorial Tournament with a powerful 5-0 shutout against Rutgers. The team was driven by strong pitching from Haley Rainey and SJ Geurin, as well as timely hits from the offense.
Haley Rainey started in the circle for Auburn, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings, while allowing only three hits, and striking out one. SJ Geurin took over in relief and shut down Rutgers for the final four innings, earning the win. Geurin earned no hits or runs, while walking one and striking out five.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers capitalized on a Rutger throwing error when Nelia Peralta scored after Icess Tresvik advanced to second on a wild throw by the shortstop. Two more errant pitches led Tresvik to home plate, giving Auburn a 2-0 lead.
The score remained tight until the fifth inning, when Anna Wohlers cleared the bases with a three-run home run to right field, bringing home Peralta and Tresvik to secure the win at 5-0.
Utility Player Icess Tresvik (3) celebrating after making a clean run to second base at the start of the Auburn Tiger's softball game against McNeese State on Feb. 28, 2025.
McNeese State
Auburn’s second game of the night proved to be a battle with Auburn overcoming an early deficit in the third before finalizing in the sixth inning to secure a 10-6 victory.
McNeese took the lead early in the contest with a solo homer to left field by Jada Munoz in the first inning. Brylie Fontenot walked and later scored on a sac fly from Rylee Eyster in the second, extending McNeese’s lead to 2-0.
Auburn retaliated in the third, starting a rally. Abbey Smith reached on an error, setting up Nelia Peralta’s single to put runners on first and second. Icess Tresvik advanced Smith to third on a deep flyout. Peralta then took second, putting two in scoring position.
Anna Wohlers delivered again, lining a two-run single to center, tying the game 2-2. A McNeese wild pitch and error on a ground ball to shortstop allowed two more runs to score, giving Auburn a 4-2 lead. Rose Roach contributed another RBI, wrapping up the five-run inning and putting the Tigers ahead 5-2.
McNeese battled back again in the fifth, cutting the deficit to 5-3 when Samantha Mundine doubled and scored from a Munoz two-bagger. The Cowgirls made it a one-run game (5-4) in the sixth after a Kassidy Chance RBI single.
A six-run sixth inning from the Tigers locked the game away. Freshman AnnaLea Adams started off the inning with a double to right center, followed by a Smith bunt placing runners on first and third. Peralta’s sacrifice fly scored Lessman (pinch-running for Adams), stretching the lead to 6-4.
After a Tresvik walk, Wohlers came through again, roping an RBI single to score Smith. KK McCrary followed with an RBI single, making it 8-4. Skylar Elkins beat out an infield single to second, allowing two more runs to cross the plate, and giving Auburn a 10-4 buffer heading into the seventh.
McNeese didn't go down quietly, with Nyjah Fontenot slugging a two-run triple in the seventh, but Haley Rainey, who entered the circle in the sixth, forced a pop-up to end the game.
Auburn’s resilience and clutch hitting fueled the bounce-back victory, while SJ Geurin earned her second win of the day with strong relief pitching.
Next up
Auburn improves to 16-1 on the season and will face Louisiana at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 1.
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Samantha is a freshman majoring in public relations. She started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @ssutton2622
