AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 25 Auburn Tigers fell to the No. 4 Florida Gators 11-7 Friday night at Jane B. Moore Field in game one of their three-game series.
The Tigers continued their SEC woes, falling to 0-10 in conference play and 22-12 overall. Tigers starting pitcher Haley Rainey took the loss in this one, allowing five runs (two earned) on four hits and six walks in five innings of work. Florida senior Kara Hammond recorded her eighth win on the year, pitching 1.1 innings and giving up two earned runs to secure the victory for the gators.
For both teams, the offenses flourished while the defenses were subpar to say the least. The Tigers and Gators combined for 18 runs on 19 hits, as they wreaked havoc up and down their respective lineups. However, both teams also combined for five errors, with the Tigers committing three and the Gators committing two.
Both offenses also left a combined 22 runners stranded on the base pads, making this one of the whackier games in recent series history.
The Gators, behind legendary coach Tim Walton, have built one of the premiere softball programs in the nation and are eyeing another trip to Omaha this postseason. With their 31-5 overall record and No. 4 ranking, they will look to add another series win to their resume with a win on Saturday.
For the Tigers, they are searching for their first series win over the gators in 20 years. The Tigers will need to win on Saturday and Sunday to turn the tide in the series and pick up their first SEC series victory of 2025.
First pitch for game two between the Tigers and Gators is slated for 3 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast on SECN+ and is available for listen on WEGL 91.1 FM.
