MADISON, Ala. - The Auburn Tigers took on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks and emerged victorious with a game-winning single off the bat of AnnaLea Adams Sunday afternoon. The Tigers cap their weekend off with a win, and advance their record to 14-1.
Haley Rainey, the starting pitcher for Auburn, began her campaign Sunday with two strikeouts in the first inning. In the top of the fourth, Rainey walked Megan Rasmussen to start the inning. Rasmussen would advance to second on a wild pitch from Rainey, and her day would end there. SJ Geurin came in for Rainey. Abbi Perkins drove Rasmussen in with a single and she then scored on an Aria Davis double later in the inning.
Jaliyah Holmes, the starter for the Gamecocks, carved through the Tigers lineup and was perfect until the fourth inning. She ended her day allowing five hits, two earned runs, and four strikeouts.
Despite being down 2-0, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Anna Wohlers sent a drive to center field to get Auburn back into the game and end Holmes' perfect bid. Later in the top of the fifth, Geurin retired all three batters and kept the game at 2-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Auburn would match their opponent's tempo and put up a doughnut as well with no hits, walks, or runs.
Rose Roach began the bottom of the sixth with a soft ground ball to shortstop, and advanced to second on an error, Georgia Lessmann came in to pinch run. Abbey Smith then laid down a bunt to the pitcher and reached first to have runners on the corners with no outs, and a sacrifice fly from Peralta would tie the game.
In the top of the seventh, the Gamecocks started to threaten with one out, following a double from Emma Elrod, and a hit by pitch that sent Morgan Nowakowski to first. Then came up Amber Reed, who lined out to first, and the Tigers capitalized with a double play to end the inning.
To begin the bottom of the seventh, KK McCrary would slug into scoring position as she doubled to right center field. AnnaLea Adams struck the final blow to best the Gamecocks 3-2.
The Auburn Tigers return back home on Friday, Feb. 28, to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 3 p.m. CT with coverage on WEGL 91.1 FM and the Auburn Sports Network.
