Auburn offense silenced by Missouri pitching in 3-0 loss to open series

It was opening night for this weekend’s "Malveaux Mania” spectacle at Jane B. Moore Field, but Auburn softball fell 3-0 to the Missouri Tigers in its first game of three on Friday night.

Auburn drops to 23-11 overall and 2-5 in SEC play with the loss, and the Tigers have now lost four consecutive conference matchups —  they were swept by Oklahoma two weeks ago.

“It’s really plain and simple. We did not come to compete. I understand that you’re in conference play and it doesn’t make sense – but to be honest, I don’t know how this happened. Not losing the game, but offensively, we just didn’t. We didn’t compete at all,” co-head coach Chris Malveaux said after the loss.

Missouri starting pitcher Cierra Harrison picked up where she left off in her first appearance since throwing a no-hitter in the Tigers’ midweek win over SIUE, dominating from the start.

Harrison set the tone early, retiring Auburn’s first three batters in the opening frame, and went on to pitch five innings, allowing no runs on three hits. 

The senior didn’t surrender a hit until the bottom of the third, when Auburn’s Kylie Shaw doubled to left field to break the trend after 2 2/3 hitless innings. Harrison recorded four strikeouts and two walks in her five frames of work before Abby Carr took over in relief.

Carr did it all for the black and gold Tigers, as she started the game as Missouri’s designated player, going 2-for-3 with a single and a double. However, she finished the contest in the circle, allowing just one hit in two scoreless frames to pick up the save.

“You face a good pitcher, you’re going to get some hard hit balls that are right at people and those are outs. We also left quite a few at-bats on the board where it was a chance, and we were in the right part of our lineup and all these things – and we didn’t take advantage of it,” Malveaux said. 

Auburn certainly had opportunities throughout the game to generate momentum at the plate, but it failed to capitalize, as the home Tigers went 0-for-10 with runners on base and 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

One of the most prominent demonstrations came in the bottom of the second when Harrison walked Auburn’s first two batters of the inning.

AnnaLea Adams and Haven Roebuck found themselves aboard with no outs, seeking a quick response to Missouri’s one run in the top of the frame, but Ma’Nia Womack struck out and Delaney Aumua grounded into a double play to swiftly end the Tigers’ scoring threat.

“Don’t play to not mess up. The goal of going to the plate is to not miss it. The goal is to score runs or to square a ball up – barrel a ball,” Malveaux said. “That has to be the goal the whole time. Just because you have two outs, runners, on – we have to understand the importance of getting out and competing.”

Sophomore Ella Harrison got the start in the circle for Auburn, tallying nine strikeouts and surrendering three runs on six hits. The Rutgers transfer also struck out nine Missouri Tigers and tallied no walks.

Missouri shortstop Madison Uptegrove was responsible for two of the visiting Tigers’ three runs, as she went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI triple.

“Ella threw a really good game. Gave us a chance to win. I think she had no walks, nine strikeouts. One hitter kind of had her number tonight, but really and truly, she gave us a chance to win. But we didn’t do our job offensively,” Malveaux said.

The two squads of Tigers will return to Jane B. Moore Field on Saturday, as Auburn looks to even the series at one apiece. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CDT and will be broadcast on SECN+.