Auburn softball splits with FSU
AUBURN, Ala. (auburntigers.com) – The No. 3/2 Tigers split a doubleheader with No. 8/7 Florida State Wednesday evening at Jane B. Moore Field. The Tigers (42-5) won 9-6 the opening game before their program-best 17-game winning streak came to a halt in a 4-3 decision to the Seminoles (35-5).
“I thought we were going to win two,” head coach Clint Myers said after the game. “We were in a good situation, unfortunately we just didn’t get the job done. We left too many people on base and had too many balls in the air. She (Meghan King) threw a really good game, but we have to be better. If you want to be a national champ, you have to be able to win those types of games.”
The Tigers left eight runners stranded in the second game stranding only four in the first one. Emily Carosone had a big day at the plate 4-for-6 with a home run, three runs and RBI and taking her 75th career hit by pitch ranking No. 5 all time in NCAA history.
GAME 1 – Auburn 9, Florida State 6
Auburn prevailed 9-6 over the Seminoles In a back-and-forth affair to take the first of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Florida State manufactured a 1-0 lead playing small ball with two bunts base hits and then a sac fly leading to the initial lead in the first inning.
Auburn scored four runs in the second to regain momentum starting with Jade Rhodes drawing a walk to lead off the inning. The quartet of runs all scored on two outs with Tiffany Howard’s 2-RBI single over the shortstop starting the scoring. Kasey Cooper found pay dirt with another two-RBI single through the middle to make it 4-1 for the home squad.
After FSU scored three runs in the third and solo spot in the fourth, senior Emily Carosone hit her 11th home run of the year to give the Tigers the lead back for good at 7-5. Carosone’s three-run homer to center was the first extra base hit of the game for Auburn.
The Tigers added another pair of insurance runs in the sixth capitalizing on two Florida State errors to extend the inning and lead to 9-5. A solo home run in the seventh by the Seminoles Jessica Warren gave the away team hope but Rachael Walters snuffed out the late rally attempt.
Walters pitched the final 4.2 innings throwing six strikeouts and picking up the win and improved her record to 8-2. Kaylee Carlson started inside the circle for Auburn but struggled locating her pitches early on allowing four runs during the first 2.1 innings. The Tigers turned to Walters and the senior entered the game with the bases loaded and picked up two strikeouts to navigate the treacherous waters.
All seven RBI for the Tigers were provided by the No. 1-3 spots in the lineup with Howard (2), Carosone (3) and Cooper (2) combining for the damage dealt.
GAME 2 – Florida State 4, Auburn 3
Emily Carosone scored the Tigers first run of the game with a double and then swiped third on a delayed steal. The gamble paid off as an errant throw to third allowed the senior to take home on the play and give Auburn their only lead of the nightcap. Carosone went 3-for-3 in the game and reached base all four times she appeared (HBP).
After tying the game at 1-1 in the second, a two-run homer by Florida State’s Zoe Casas stretched the lead to 4-1 during the fourth inning.
Madi Gipson delivered a two-run homer in the sixth for her sixth home run of the season to bring Auburn within a run but the rally fell to give head coach Lonni Alameda her highest-ranked win at Florida State.
Marcy Harper (6-3) suffered the loss allowing just the one hit to Casas and dealt two strikeouts. Makayla Martin started for Auburn lasting 4.1 innings. Meghan King (15-2) earned the win for FSU throwing a complete game.
UP NEXT
Auburn hosts No. 13/12 Georgia at home this weekend April 22-24.
