March 4, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. -- No. 12 Auburn completed their third doubleheader sweep of the weekend Sunday to finish the Wilson/DeMarini Classic a perfect 6-0. The Tigers improved their record to 23-2 as they gear up for SEC play beginning Friday at LSU.
Head coach Mickey Dean picked up his 500th career win in the first half of the doubleheader in the Tigers' 7-0 shutout victory over Western Illinois. Auburn totaled 16 shutouts in 25 games of nonconference play.
The first game saw Makayla Martin pick up her ninth win of the season (9-1) with another stout performance, allowing just one hit in 5.0 innings pitched and striking out five batters. Chardonnay Harris also saw time in the circle in relief duty striking out four of the nine batters she faced to close out the game.
"I think we did a good job of working ahead of hitters and not letting our defense go to sleep," Dean said of his pitchers.
The Tigers offense was on showcase in the contest, rattling off 13 hits in the game. Eight Auburn batters recorded a hit in the game, four of which had two or more hits.
Morgan Podany led the way for Auburn at the plate batting 3-for-3 and scoring a run. Taylon Snow chipped in a game-high three RBI on 2-of-3 hitting. Courtney Shea and Kendall Veach also added a pair of hits.
Western Illinois pitcher Megan Lotarski (3-5) was charged with the loss as the Leathernecks fell to 6-13 on the season.
Game two vs. UNCW saw Auburn plate six runs on six hits while allowing just one run on four hits to the Seahawks.
Redshirt senior Victoria Draper was the offensive leader in game two, and the only Tiger to record multiple hits as she batted 2-for-3 in the contest with two runs scored.
A key player all weekend, Draper filled up the stat sheet in the Wilson/DeMarini Classic batting an outstanding .833 on the weekend. The Moulton, Ala. product was 10-for-12 at the plate with two RBI. The center fielder also made herself at home on the bases with an on-base percentage of .875 on the weekend. She also stole nine bases over the six games bringing her NCAA-leading total to 29 on the season, which is one more stolen base than the entire Auburn team recorded in 2017, and is just shy of the single season school record of 33.
"She gets our offense going," Dean said of Draper. "She puts a lot of pressure on the defense and forces them to make mistakes."
Kaylee Carlson (11-0) once again shined in the circle to pick up her 11th win of the season, allowing just two hits in 4.0 innings pitched. The senior from Garden Grove, Calif. also struck out three and issued just one walk.
Charged with the loss for game two was UNCW starting pitcher Sarah Davis (2-5).
Auburn will now turn their attention to SEC play which begins with a road trip to Baton Rouge on Friday for a weekend series with LSU. The first game is slated for a 6:00 p.m. CT start.