AUBURN, Ala. - It was a hot start for both teams in the second game of the weekend, Saturday, as they combined for seven runs in the first three half-innings, but the Aggies would run-rule the Tigers 13-2 behind Sidne Peters and Amari Harper.
Haley Rainey started the game by giving up a single to the Aggies' lead-off hitter, KK Wooley. Rainey allowed two more outs to be put in play, allowing Wooley to cross the plate for an early 1-0 lead.
Auburn would respond just a half-inning later behind Peters' errant pitching. Sidne Peters walked leadoff Icess Tresvik before she stole second just a couple pitches later. A single by Peralta put runners on the corners for the Tigers as Peters started feeling the pressure. Next batter, the Aggies thought they caught Tresvik in a rundown, but Tresvik's speed allowed her to avoid the tag at home. Peters would calm down for the next two innings as she retired six batters in a row, but allowed an Adams sac-fly to score Peralta.
Then the Aggies start to come alive at the plate, scoring four more in the second inning before adding two in the third. Started by singles off of Barbara and Enright and a wild pitch in the second, a hard hit by Wolley scored two to make it 4-2 quickly. A double by Powell just a batter later would score pinch runner, Mathis, before Rainey would strike out Perez to stop the bleeding.
In the third, the only scoring for both teams came on a fly-out to right field that Nelia Peralta cut off to get Dement out at first.
With only a homer by Harper in the fourth, Texas A&M started to press their offense to try and get the run-rule in only five innings. A&M’s first run in the fifth inning came across as Auburn’s Rolfe struggled with her pitch control. With a double starting the inning, Rolfe walked two of the following three, including two passed balls that scored the first. Perez and Harper hit two more singles to bring the lead to 13-2.
The Tigers tried to come back late in the fifth but could not get any runners across.
After the game, Auburn co-head coach, Chris Malvaeux, talked about how the big innings for Texas A&M carried over and the momentum it carried for the Aggies.
“I think it carried over a lot, and it turned into it felt like playing on our heels or to not make mistakes instead of play the game, let the game come to you
Auburn will look to avoid the sweep against Texas A&M tomorrow afternoon. The game will be broadcast at 2 p.m. on WEGL 91.1 FM and SECN+.
