After coming off four previous games won in run rule, there where high hopes that it could be done again as the No. 18 Auburn Tigers (24-9) (7-8 SEC) took on the Chattanooga Mocs (21-19) (5-4 SOCON) in what was a dominate, all though not perfect, performance from the Tigers, as Auburn won 7-3.
Auburn got off to a hot start as Jessie Blaine and Sydney Cox got the ball rolling in the first inning with a sac-fly, and two run home run respectfully. The Tigers kept up the pressure in the second inning with an Aspyn Godwin solo home run to right center, and an Aubrie Lisenby RBI got the Tigers up 5-0 through the second inning.
Auburn kept up their streak of runs thanks to a Kelsey Schmidt single that scored two and made it 7-0. At that point the writing seemed to be on the wall, as Auburn would score another run and the fans would go home early. However, this prophecy did not happen, and as Coach Mickey Dean said, “it was a tale of two games.”
Auburn would seem to coast through the rest of the game despite having an opportunity with a runner on third in the sixth, Auburn even let the Mocs start to crawl themselves back into it as they had bases loaded in the top of the seventh and due to a Gracey Kruse double, Chattanooga was able to put three runs on the board to make it 7-3 with no outs in the top of the seventh.
That was rectified when Mickey Dean brought in the starting pitcher of the game, Maddie Penta, who upon reentering the game was sitting at 198 strikeouts on the season. Maddie went out to the pitchers circle and gave it three straight strikeouts to not only get the win, her 21st of the season, but also giving her 201 strikeouts on the season. This makes Maddie Penta the first Auburn pitcher since Anne Thompson to reach the 200 mark.
When asked about the milestone head coach Mickey Dean said, “She has been a workforce, I told her the last couple days I really appreciate what she is doing right now.”
Auburn will be looking to continue their winning ways this weekend as the Tigers travel to Starkville Mississippi as they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, kicking off the three game series Friday April 22 at 5:30 Pm.
