In a repeat of Friday night's performance, Nelia Peralta secured a run-rule victory in six innings on Sunday at Jane B. Moore Field, as Auburn softball defeated NC State 8-0 to conclude the regular season.
The Tigers showcased another dominant pitching display, this time from Haley Rainey (7-4), who excelled on Senior Day with a one-hit shutout. Rainey allowed just one double and two walks, completing the game for the first time this season and striking out four batters.
Auburn's last five victories have all been shutouts, with three of them being one-hit performances by the Tigers' pitching staff.
"NC State's strength is its offense," said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. "In the past few weekends, SJ (Geurin) has stepped up, and Haley (Rainey) has been unpredictable lately. If she can find consistency and perform well, she can be crucial for us in the final stretch. They both have different strengths and styles. It was great to see Haley persevere today. She had a solid start with excellent command and managed to recover from minor setbacks."
The Tigers accumulated seven hits on Sunday and scored four runs in the sixth inning to secure the run-rule win. Peralta went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and two RBIs, providing the walk-off for the Tigers. Abbey Smith contributed a two-run single in the sixth, while Icess Tresvik set the tone for Senior Day with a solo home run in the second inning.
Tresvik led off the second inning with her 11th home run of the season, putting the Tigers on the scoreboard. Amelia Lech drew a one-out walk and advanced to third before scoring on a Rose Roach single up the middle, giving Auburn a 2-0 lead.
Auburn added another run in the third inning when Peralta singled up the middle and scored on a KK McCrary double. In the fourth inning, Roach drew a walk and stole second base to get into scoring position. NC State attempted to get the lead out on a groundball back to the pitcher, but a Wolfpack error allowed Roach to score, extending Auburn's lead to 4-0.
The score remained unchanged until the sixth inning, when the Tigers loaded the bases with two walks and an Aubrie Lisenby single. Smith hit a ball up the middle for a base hit, driving in two runs, followed by Peralta's game-winning two-run double.
Auburn moves on to the postseason as the Tigers open the 2025 SEC Tournament on Tuesday in Athens, Georgia. The No. 15 Tigers will face No. 10 Alabama in the third game of the opening round. First pitch will be at 6 p.m. CST but may be delayed due to games played prior. All three games of Tuesday’s opening round will be televised on the SEC Network.
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Sarah 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 @sarahsewall12
