Recap: Auburn softball drops series finale to Ole Miss

Auburn could not keep up with the Rebels in Sunday’s finale, thus dropping another SEC series.

After beginning the series on a hot note, Auburn dropped the final two games of its road series with Ole Miss, including Sunday’s finale.

Auburn held a 2-1 lead over the Rebels in the 3rd inning, but Ole Miss rattled off six unanswered runs to claim the 7-2 win over the Tigers on Sunday at Ole Miss Softball Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

Ole Miss jumped 1-0 in the 1st inning on a groundout by Aynslie Furbush that allowed Jalia Lassiter to score from 3rd base. Auburn answered with an RBI single by [autotag]Amelia Lech[/autotag] and a solo home run by [autotag]KK McCray[/autotag] to give the Tigers the 2-1 advantage.

The solo home run would cap scoring for Auburn as Ole Miss would jump back in front thanks to three straight home runs. Furbush and Delaney Rummell would smash two-run home runs while Jamie Mackay added a solo round-tripper. Taylor Malvin scored the game’s final run in the 6th inning on an error.

“We didn’t play well,” Auburn head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] said postgame. “There’s no other way to describe it. We didn’t hit well. We didn’t pitch well. Our defense was susceptible. We’re going to have two really good days of practice ahead us to get ready for that last series of the regular season.”

Auburn recorded six hits in Sunday’s loss, with [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] carrying the load with two. The combination of [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] and [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] combined to allow six earned runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Auburn will now prepare for its final regular season series of the season. Auburn will host No. 17 Alabama for a three-game set beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. CT.

Recap: Penta ties single-game strikeout record in Auburn’s extra inning win over Ole Miss

Auburn’s ace made the difference in Auburn’s low-scoring affair with Ole Miss.

It took four hours for Auburn to claim its series-opening win over Ole Miss on Friday night, but that fact is secondary compared to the true headline of the night.

Senior ace [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] worked overtime Friday by tossing a nine-inning effort in Auburn’s 2-1 win over Ole Miss. Over nine innings, Penta allowed one run on seven hits while walking five and striking out 18 batters. Her 18-strikeout performance is a career-high, and it ties a program record for the most in a game. She matched [autotag]Anna Thompson[/autotag]’s 18-strikeout performance in Auburn’s win over Middle Tennessee during the 2009 season.

Penta wanted to continue, but she was pulled in the 10th inning after throwing 172 pitches, 100 going for strikes. [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] kept the strong effort alive by striking out two batters over two perfect innings to secure the win.

“It was a valiant effort to be quite honest,” Auburn head coach Mickey Dean said on the Auburn Sports Network postgame show. “The pitch count kept going up and up. She wanted to stay in but I was like, ‘we are reaching that stupid number, Shelby (Lowe) can get it done.’ We are going to get a run, Shelby will get it done, we will get out of here with a win. And it happened.”

The second hero of the game was [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag], who scored both of Auburn’s runs on solo blasts. Tresvik tied the game in the 6th inning with a home run to left field, and delivered the final blow in the 11th inning to right-center field.

“Icess was due,” Dean said. “She looked more relaxed tonight and was willing to go middle and opposite field. She’s got the power.”

Tresvik, along with [autotag]KK McCrary[/autotag], recorded three hits for the Tigers in the win. [autotag]Makayla Packer[/autotag] earned a double for her seventh multi-base hit of the season.

Auburn goes for the series win Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.

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Maddie Penta, Shelby Lowe combine for no-hitter in Auburn’s drubbing of UAB

Maddie Penta and Shelby Lowe teamed up to strike out seven batters in Auburn’s blowout win over the Blazers on Tuesday.

It has become normal for Auburn pitchers to toss gems against non-conference opponents. Tuesday’s action was no exception.

[autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] and [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] combined to strike out seven batters while allowing zero runs or hits in Auburn’s 9-0 run-rule win over UAB Tuesday night at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn. The no-hitter was Auburn’s 35th of all time, and the first for the Tigers since last Wednesday’s game against Samford when Auburn’s staff combined to toss the fourth perfect game in program history.

Penta picked up her 12th win on Tuesday by tossing four innings of shutout softball, striking out five batters. She suffered two blemishes in the game, one took place in the 1st inning when she hit the second batter of the game, and the next was a base-on-balls in the 4th inning. Lowe took over in the 5th inning, striking out two of the three batters she faced to lock down the win.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] was pleased with the effort his two pitchers gave in the circle.

“We got off to a nice start,” Dean said postgame. “We continued to build off that. Our pitchers worked ahead. We averaged 15 pitches an inning, which is exactly where we want to be. We did a nice job.”

Auburn’s work at the plate began early as they ended the 1st inning with a four-run cushion. [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] scored two runs on a single to right field while [autotag]Mariah Penta[/autotag] drove home two additional runs on a double to left field. A fielder’s choice by UAB allowed [autotag]Anna Wohlers[/autotag] to score in the 2nd inning to extend Auburn’s lead to 5-0, which paved the way for another big inning.

Auburn added three more runs in the 3rd inning thanks to two RBI singles by Wohlers and [autotag]Nelia Peralta[/autotag]. The final blow was delivered by [autotag]Riley McNemar[/autotag], who sent Axe Milanowski home on a sacrifice fly.

Auburn will look to carry the momentum earned from Tuesday’s win to Baton Rouge this weekend. The Tigers will face No. 6 LSU this weekend for a three-game set beginning Friday at 6 p.m. CT.

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Long ball dooms Auburn in series opener at Texas A&M

Auburn struck first in Friday’s opener, but three Texas A&M home runs ultimately made the difference.

The No. 25 Auburn Tigers are working to win its first SEC series of the season, and hope to find luck in College Station this weekend against the No. 12 Texas A&M Aggies.

Auburn struck first in Friday’s opener. However, Texas A&M scored five runs on three home runs over the final three innings to earn the series-opening victory, 5-1, at the Aggie Softball Complex in College Station, Texas.

The Tigers had opportunities to score by leaving seven total runners on base, including the 7th inning, where the bases were left loaded before a flyout ended Auburn’s scoring threat. Head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] hopes to see his team take advantage of future opportunities.

“We had great effort,” Dean said postgame. “Our execution wasn’t quite what we needed it to be. We didn’t get any runs in our two bases-loaded opportunities. We are making mistakes in the circle that we normally don’t make. We have to figure that out. We didn’t finish our opportunities at the plate or in the circle.”

[autotag]Rose Roach[/autotag] put the Tigers on the board first with an RBI single to left field that was deep enough to score [autotag]Annabelle Widra[/autotag] to push Auburn ahead, 1-0, in the top of the 3rd inning. Texas A&M responded by hitting three home runs over the final three innings. Trinity Cannon tied the game in the 4th inning with a solo blast to center field, paving the way for Kylei Griffin to push the Aggies ahead with a two-run shot in the 5th.

The decisive blow took place in the 6th inning when Julia Cottrell hit a two-run home run to right-center field.

Widra led the team in hits with two. [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag], [autotag]Rose Roach[/autotag], [autotag]Nelia Peralta[/autotag], and [autotag]Millie Roberts[/autotag] each collected a hit in the loss. [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] took the loss in the game after allowing three earned runs on three hits in five innings of work. [autotag]Malayna Tamborra[/autotag] and [autotag]Emmah Rolfe[/autotag] combined to pitch the final inning.

Auburn looks to avenge Friday’s loss on Saturday in game two of its weekend series at Texas A&M. Saturday’s game begins at 4:30 p.m. CT, and can be seen live on SEC Network.

RUNS HITS ERRORS LOB
No. 25 Auburn 1 6 0 7
No. 12 Texas A&M 5 5 1 1

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Auburn wins extra inning affair at Troy

The No. 25 Tigers needed 10 innings to do it, but they eventually earned a midweek win on the road.

The No. 25 Auburn Tigers needed three extra frames to do it, but they were able to pull off a midweek win on the road at Troy on Tuesday night.

After 10 innings of softball, Auburn’s winning run was scored on a throwing error by Troy catcher Emma Faulk. [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] took advantage of the errant throw by running home to give Auburn the 4-3 lead, a lead which ultimately stuck.

The Tigers held a lead over Troy on three occasions, and head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] was impressed with his team’s effort to keep fighting.

“It was just grit,” Dean said postgame. “To come on the road midweek after playing a three-game series and face a really good Troy team. We had to face the emotions of having the game won and then tying it up, having the game won and then tying it up. The good thing is that we kept working and never let them take the lead. That was key. Shelby (Lowe) had been paying attention throughout the game. She came in and threw the pitches she needed to shut them down.”

Auburn led 2-0 heading into the 5th inning thanks to a solo home run by [autotag]Anna Wohlers[/autotag] and an RBI single by [autotag]Annabelle Widra[/autotag] that led to a throwing error. The Trojans responded in the 6th inning on an infield single by Libby Baker, and Cassidy Boltz forced extra innings in the 7th by hitting a solo home run.

[autotag]Makayla Packer[/autotag] took advantage of another Trojan mishap in the 8th. She tripled and later scored on a throwing error to push Auburn back in front, 3-2. The lead was shortlived as Baker hit a sacrifice fly to center field deep enough to score Taylor McKinney to tie the game at 3-3.

[autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] earned the win in relief of [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] by striking out four batters and allowing two hits in two innings of work. Penta tossed eight innings, striking out 12 batters and allowing two earned runs on five hits.

Offensively, Auburn recorded nine hits with Wohlers and Tresvik each grabbing two.

The Tigers will travel to No. 12 Texas A&M to begin a three-game series in College Station. Game one of the series begins Friday at 6 p.m. CT.

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Auburn softball tops North Texas, USC Upstate to complete undefeated weekend

The Tigers ended the Jane B. Moore Memorial by outscoring North Texas and USC Upstate, 16-4, on Sunday.

After earning two wins in Saturday’s action, the Auburn Tigers (12-2-1) closed the Jane B. Moore Memorial by grabbing two more wins on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers had no issue with North Texas in the first game of the day, as they used a late-inning power surge to take a run-rule victory. In game two, Auburn needed a walk-off grand slam off the bat of Makayla Packer to earn the win over USC Upstate.

Head coach Mickey Dean was ecstatic over his team’s efforts on Sunday, especially in the final at-bat of the win over USC Upstate.

“That was fun,” Dean said Sunday. “We had some kids try to put forth some great efforts today. Even in the innings we didn’t score, we put pressure on them. Pressure tends to do funny things. We kept the pressure on. Makayla (Packer) was ready. She knew exactly what’s going to happen there. She knew exactly what the pitcher was going to try to do. She capitalized. It was beautiful.”

Here is a rundown of how Sunday’s action played out at Jane B. Moore Field.

Game one: Auburn 8 North Texas 0 (6 innings)

Runs Hits Errors LOB
North Texas 0 2 1 2
Auburn 8 9 0 1

Neither team could muster a run through the first three innings. That changed in the 4th inning when [autotag]Anna Wohlers[/autotag] hit a sacrifice fly to score [autotag]Makayla Packer[/autotag] to put Auburn ahead, 1-0. It would not take long for Auburn’s bats to warm up, as they rattled off seven runs over the next two innings to take home the run-rule victory. Wohlers and [autotag]KK McCrary[/autotag] each hit two-run blasts in the 5th inning and [autotag]Mariah Penta[/autotag] ended the game with a three-run shot to left center field.

Packer and [autotag]Nelia Peralta[/autotag] each recorded two hits in the game while Wohlers and Penta drove in three runs. [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] was strong in the circle yet again by striking out 11 batters and allowing two hits in a six-inning effort. She has now pitched 27 consecutive innings without allowing a run. Penta has also struck out 45 batters while allowing just six hits over her last four games.

Game two: Auburn 8 USC Upstate 4

Runs Hits Errors LOB
USC Upstate 4 8 2 5
Auburn 8 9 0 2

The final game of the Jane B. Moore Memorial Tournament was a battle where Auburn ultimately prevailed. Wohlers continued her hot day at the plate by driving in two runs to put the Tigers up, 2-0, in the 1st inning. However, the Spartans answered by scoring four runs over the next two innings to lead 4-2 heading to the 5th inning. [autotag]Skylar Elkins[/autotag] cut into the lead by hitting her first home run of the season in the 5th, and [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] tied the game in the 6th inning with an RBI single. The final blow came off the bat of Packer, who crushed a walk-off grand slam to end the game.

[autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] earned the win by tossing a two-hit, one-strikeout performance over the final inning and a third. [autotag]Annabelle Widra[/autotag] allowed three hits and three earned runs in the start while [autotag]Malayna Tamborra[/autotag] recorded four innings of relief work.

Next Game

Auburn will get one final midweek tuneup before traveling to Columbia to open SEC play this weekend at Missouri. The Tigers will host Troy on Tuesday at Jane B. Moore Field for a 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch.

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Penta, Auburn gets revenge on Northern Iowa to close Plainsman Invite

Maddie Penta tossed her fifth-career no-hitter on Sunday as Auburn knocked off Northern Iowa on Sunday.

Saturday, the Northern Iowa Panthers took advantage of several Auburn miscues in the 4th inning to upset the Tigers on day two of the Plainsman Invite at Jane B. Moore Field. [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] struck out 10 batters in a complete game effort, but three 4th inning errors pushed the Panthers to a 4-2 win.

Sunday, Penta and the Tigers got revenge.

Penta struck out 11 more Northern Iowa batters and recorded her fifth collegiate no-hitter as the Tigers defeated the Panthers, 1-0 to close out the Plainsman Invite. She allowed two base runners, one via walk and the other on a throwing error in the 2nd base.

Through the beginning of this season, I’ve had to work my way into my in-game mechanics,” Penta said after the game. “Yesterday’s performance wasn’t my best. I went to the bullpen and messed around with some things. I came out here and used my legs a lot better. It made my rise better and my change-up more deceptive. Perfecting my mechanics helps me throw all my pitches better.”

Northern Iowa’s pitching nearly matched Penta’s performance as Samantha Heyer and Maddy McDermott combined to strike out 10 batters while allowing just two hits. The lone score in the game came off the bat of [autotag]Nelia Peralta[/autotag], who laid down a sacrifice bunt in the 2nd inning to score the speedy [autotag]Makayla Packer [/autotag]from 3rd base. Packer and [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] recorded the only hits on the day for Auburn.

The Tigers close out the Plainsman Invite with a 3-1 record, and have improved to 7-2-1 overall. Auburn travels to Birmingham for a date with UAB on Wednesday before returning to Jane B. Moore Field next weekend to host the Jane B. Moore Memorial.

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Auburn splits Saturday action with Northern Iowa, Southeast Missouri at Plainsman Invite

Auburn dropped a tough game to Northern Iowa before bouncing back to run-rule Southeast Missouri on Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field.

After producing a no-hit gem in Friday’s Plainsman Invite opener against Southeast Missouri, Auburn softball hoped to keep the momentum going by earning two more wins on Saturday.

Those dreams only halfway came true, as the Tigers suffered a split in Saturday’s twin bill. Auburn fell in its first game to defending Missouri Valley Conference champion Northern Iowa before bouncing back to run-rule Southeast Missouri in the second game of the day.

Here is a breakdown of how the second day of the Plainsman Invite shaped up for the Auburn Tigers.

NORTHERN IOWA 4 AUBURN 2

Game one of the day saw Auburn run into a stretch of bad luck in the 4th inning. The Tigers and Panthers were tied at 0-0 before Auburn committed three errors in the inning which led to four Northern Iowa runs. The Panthers extended its lead to 4-0 in the 6th inning on a solo home run. The Tigers tried to storm back in the 6th inning as [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] and [autotag]Amelia Lech[/autotag] each recorded RBI singles to cut the lead in half.

[autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] struck out 10 batters in the complete game effort, but the 4th inning errors cost her a chance to win the game. [autotag]KK McCrary[/autotag] led the Tigers in hits with two.

AUBURN 13 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 5 (5 INNINGS)

The Tigers got back on track in game two of the day by blowing past Southeast Missouri in a run-rule effort. Auburn scored 13 runs on seven hits and three home runs. The biggest smash of the game came off the bat of [autotag]Nelia Peralta[/autotag], who hit a grand slam in the 3rd inning. [autotag]Mariah Penta[/autotag] added to the Tigers’ eight-run 3rd inning with a solo home run, the first of her Auburn career. Lech put Auburn on the board one inning earlier with her fifth home run of the season, a solo blast.

Shelby Lowe followed her no-hit performance in Friday’s win over the Redhawks by allowing just three hits in 2 1/3 innings of work. [autotag]Annabelle Widra[/autotag] got the win in relief by sitting down the only two batters she faced on 13 pitches.

SUNDAY’S ACTION

Auburn concludes the Plainsman Invite on Sunday with a rematch against Northern Iowa. First pitch between the Tigers and Panthers is set for 2 p.m. CT.

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Lowe, Widra combine to no-hit Southeast Missouri in Plainsman Invite opener

Auburn kicks off the weekend in dominating fashion as Shelby Lowe and Annabelle Widra combined to strike out nine batters in a run-rule affair.

After spending a successful weekend in Mexico, Auburn softball returned to the Plains on Friday to kick off the Plainsman Invite.

The Tigers used the momentum gained at the Puerto Vallarta College Classic last week to fuel a dominating performance against Southeast Missouri on Friday afternoon. [autotag]Annabelle Widra[/autotag] launched two home runs and locked down a no-hitter in the circle alongside [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] as Auburn defeated the Redhawks, 8-0, in five innings.

Lowe started the game in the circle and struck out seven batters over three innings of work. Widra, who started the game at shortstop, completed the final two innings by striking out two more batters. Head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] says that he was pleased with the way that Lowe, Widra, and the rest of the team took advantage of the opportunities given to them.

“Shelby (Lowe) had a lot of strikeouts and kept them way off balance. Annabelle (Widra) pitched perfection and then hit two home runs. There’s not a whole lot not to like. It’s important that we focus on those opportunities. I thought we did a nice job today. The players that we put into the game took advantage of what was in front of them.”

[autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] joined Widra by recording multiple hits in the game by adding two to Auburn’s total of nine. Amelia Lech drove in two runs on a double in the 4th inning while [autotag]KK McCrary[/autotag], [autotag]Anna Wohlers[/autotag], and [autotag]Riley McNemar[/autotag] each added one RBI.

The weekend schedule has been altered due to what Auburn softball has referred to as “unforseen circumstances” that has forced Longwood to exit the Plainsman Invite. Auburn will now face Northern Iowa at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, and will meet Southeast Missouri in a rematch at 4 p.m. CT before concluding the weekend with Northern Iowa on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT. Saturday’s games are still slated to be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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Auburn softball splits season-opening twin bill with Virginia Tech, Belmont

The No. 19 Tigers dropped its opener with Virginia Tech before bouncing back to stomp Belmont in the nightcap.

The 2024 campaign has officially kicked off for the No. 19 Auburn Tigers, and they close out opening day with a 1-1 record.

Auburn met Virginia Tech and Belmont on Friday as part of the opening day of the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field. The first game of the day saw Auburn force extra innings with the Hokies before ultimately suffering defeat, 8-1. The Tigers were able to bounce back in game two by earning a five-run win over Belmont to close the day, 6-1.

Head coach [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag] shared what he hopes to see his team improve upon before Saturday’s action.

“We weren’t consistent with extra-base hits throughout the day,” Dean said. “We’re hitting balls to the fence but getting singles. We need to be more aggressive on the base paths. We weren’t productive with runners on base. We struck out a lot with runners on base. We can’t win ball games like that.”

Auburn (1-1) struck first in its opening game with Virginia Tech (2-0). Maryland transfer [autotag]Amelia Lech[/autotag] introduced herself to the Auburn faithful by drilling a solo home run over the center field fence to put the Tigers up, 1-0 in the 4th inning. Virginia Tech’s Emily LeGette answered by hitting a solo shot of her own to tie the game in the ensuing inning.

The game remained tied at 1-1 until the top of the 8th inning when Virginia Tech rattled off seven runs to end the game with an 8-1 win. The Hokies scored runs on an Auburn error, a sacrifice fly, and a single, with the final blow being a grand slam off the bat of Rachel Castine.

The second-half of the twinbill began the same as the first, with a solo home run. This time, it was [autotag]KK McCrary[/autotag] that did the damage. Her 1st inning home run put Auburn ahead of Belmont (1-1), 1-0, and the Tigers would ride that momentum to a 6-1 victory over the Bruins. McCrary and [autotag]Skylar Elkins[/autotag] each had two RBI in the contest.

[autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] struck out eight batters in 7.0 innings of work in the Tigers loss to Virginia Tech. She allowed six hits, a walk, and an earned run in her season debut. [autotag]Annabelle Widra[/autotag] earned the win over Belmont by striking out five batters over 2.0 innings.  [autotag]Shelby Lowe[/autotag] combined to strike out three batters in 3.0 innings between both games.

Offensively, [autotag]Icess Tresvik[/autotag] was the lone batter to record multiple hits in either game, as she ended the day going 4-or-8 at the plate with three singles and a double.

Auburn looks to avenge Friday’s loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday by facing the Hokies in a rematch at 1 p.m. CT. The Tigers will also meet Illinois at 4 p.m. CT for the first time this weekend. The Fighting Illini dropped both of their games on Friday to Virginia Tech and Belmont respectively.

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