Auburn softball notebook: Opening weekend

Auburn opened its season in Florida over the weekend, playing a total of six games from Thursday to Sunday. It began its year on the road against North Florida, before heading to Clearwater for the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

The Tigers went 4-2 to start their season, with a key win over No. 9 Clemson highlighting the trip.

THURSDAY

@ North Florida, L 11-3 (5 innings)

Auburn began the year with an abysmal performance on the road against North Florida, getting run-ruled in the opener. Five defensive errors plagued the Tigers, leading to six unearned runs to cross the plate.

Offensively, Auburn only recorded six hits and three runs.

“We had a hard time responding to adversity,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “We didn’t make plays early on and stumbled a little bit. You could see the youth of this team right away. We had a very difficult time rebounding. We needed a couple of people to step up, rest the team and wake everyone up.”

FRIDAY

Game 1 — Notre Dame, W 5-4

Auburn scored first and held on for its first victory of the season.

Ma’Nia Womack went 2-for-3 with an RBI triple, while freshman Haven Roebuck went 3-for-4 with an RBI double to help power Auburn to victory. In the circle, SJ Geurin went seven innings in her first start of the season, giving up four runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out one.

Game 2 — Michigan State, W 9-6

McKaela Walker’s grand slam powered Auburn to a win over Michigan State.

Auburn trailed 2-0 in the second inning before Walker’s blast gave the Tigers the lead. The Tigers scored five runs in the second, three runs in the fifth and one run in the seventh.

Defensively, not a clean game. Four errors allowed four unearned runs to cross. Abby Herndon, Malayna Tamborra, Charley Butler and Ella Harrison split time in the circle. The two earned runs were charged to Herndon, who started the game.

SATURDAY

Game 1 — Clemson, W 10-5

Facing the No. 9 team in the country, Auburn recorded 13 hits on its way to upsetting Clemson.

AnnaLea Adams recorded her first home run of the season, finishing the game 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. Kylie Brockman led the team with 3 RBI.

Once again, Auburn struggled defensively and committed four errors. All five runs scored by Clemson scored as unearned runs. Harrison pitched all seven innings for Auburn, allowing six hits, walking six and striking out six.

Game 2 — Pittsburgh, L 12-11 (9 innings)

Auburn trailed by as many as six runs before taking the lead into the seventh inning. Pittsburgh tied the game in the seventh, forced extra innings and a defensive error in the ninth by Auburn cost the Tigers the game.

Roebuck had the biggest hit of the night for Auburn, clearing the bases on a 3-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game. Brockman knocked Roebuck in one batter later to give Auburn the 9-8 advantage.

Pittsburgh hit a solo home run with one out in the seventh to even things up. It won the game by scoring two runs in the ninth, with the second run crossing on a fielding error by Alyssa Hastings.

SUNDAY

Penn State, W 4-3

Auburn ended its time in Clearwater on a high note, walking off against Penn State in the bottom of the seventh.

Harrison started the game for Auburn and went the distance. She completed seven innings, gave up two earned runs on five hits, walked two batters and struck out 11 in the win.

Penn State hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead, before Brockman’s RBI single in the bottom half of the inning tied the game. Auburn won the game in the bottom of the seventh on a throwing error by Penn State, scoring Rodriguez.

UP NEXT FOR AUBURN

Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field this week for the War Eagle Classic, where it plays six games. The schedule is as follows (all times central):

Thursday: Illinois (5 p.m.)
Friday (DH): Bradley (4:30 p.m.), Campbell (7 p.m.)
Saturday (DH): Bradley (4:30 p.m.), Binghamton (7 p.m.)
Sunday: Campbell (11:30 a.m.)