No. 3 Tigers sweep South Carolina series during Saturday doubleheader
No. 3 Auburn swept the weekend series against South Carolina posting 5-2 and 4-3 wins in the doubleheader on Saturday. Auburn improved to 30-4 on the season and 6-3 in SEC action.
AUBURN, Ala. – No. 3 Auburn swept the weekend series against South Carolina posting 5-2 and 4-3 wins in the doubleheader on Saturday. Auburn improved to 30-4 on the season and 6-3 in SEC action.
“The thing we talked about all season long is the timely hitting,” head coach Clint Myers said after the game. “We got people in scoring position and we scored on it. Did we miss on a couple? Sure. But or the most part we scored more than we left out there. Good teams figure out ways to win and that’s what we were able to do.”
The Tigers outscored South Carolina (24-9, 2-7) 19-5 over the weekend and only trailed for a single inning during the series.
GAME 1 – Auburn 5, South Carolina 2
The Gamecocks got on the board their first at bat taking a 2-0 lead to start the game. Jade Rhodes halved the deficit for Auburn in the second with a solo home run, her team-leading 11th on the year. It was her third straight game with a home run and sixth over the last eight games.
Hits from Tiffany Howard and Emily Carosone put Auburn in scoring position the next inning and a wild pitch tied the game. Rhodes put the Tigers ahead for good with a single to make it 3-2.
Whitney Jordan added an insurance run in the fourth inning with her fifth home run of the season. A double by Madi Gipson down the right field line drove in Cooper giving the Tigers a 5-2 lead and Gipson’s third double of the series.
Rachel Walters started in the circle for the Tigers throwing 4.1 innings and striking out four batters improving to 5-2 on the season. Makayla Martin entered the circle during the fifth and induced two bases-loaded fly outs to get out of a jam and give the Tigers their first win of the day.
GAME 2 – Auburn 4, South Carolina 3
A three-run spot in the second inning paved the way for the Tigers sweep. Walks to Jade Rhodes and Madi Gipson opened the frame and RBI singles by Jenna Abbott and Whitney Jordan put the Tigers out ahead 2-0. Pinch runner Sydne Waldrop added another run off Tiffany Howard’s ground out.
South Carolina evened things during the fourth and fifth inning with two home runs but were unable to maintain their advantage long as Auburn went ahead in the bottom of the fifth. Madi Gipson hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded to push across the winning run.
Lexi Davis picked up the no decision starting the game and lasting 3.2 innings allowing five hits, one earned run and four strikeouts. Kaylee Carlson earned the win entering in relief and allowing a single run improving to 8-0 on the season.
Emily Carosone was hit by a pitch during the first inning for the second straight game, upping her career bean ball total to 72.
UP NEXT
Auburn travels to Lexington, Ky. for a weekend series against the No. 15/12 Wildcats (29-4) on April 1-3.
