CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Finding production throughout the lineup, Auburn softball (11-3) came out swinging Friday night at the Big League Dreams Complex and needed only five innings to take down BYU (3-10) as the Tigers notched a 10-1 victory.
“We needed to bounce back,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “It was great to see us compete from the very beginning, one pitch at a time. Ella (Harison) did a great job in the start and set the tone. Ma’Nia (Womack) came up with a big hit to get us woken up. It is a quick turnaround for tomorrow, so it was important to get through the game as fast as possible and give us a chance to rest. It was big for our team to respond.”
Auburn knocked nine hits, including home runs from junior Ma’Nia Womack and freshman Haven Roebuck. Womack’s two-run blast in the first inning gave Auburn a lead it never relinquished.
Womack closed the game 2-for-2 with three RBI. With a strong performance on her birthday, redshirt sophomore Kyla Stroud had a 2-for-3 effort with two RBI. Senior McKaela Walker also added a pair of hits, including a double.
Sophomore Ella Harrison looked sharp in her start, earning her sixth win of the season. Harrison scattered four hits and gave up one unearned run. She struck out five. In one of her more efficient appearances of the season, redshirt freshman Abby Herndon tossed the final two innings. She allowed just one hit and picked up a strikeout.
Following Womack’s two run blast, a pair of singles put two Cougars on in the second frame. Two passed balls and a wild pitch manufactured a run for BYU.
Auburn’s offense answered immediately as Walker doubled to right center to lead off the home half of the inning. Stroud singled up the middle to drive in the run and found herself standing at third after an outfield error by the Cougars. Junior Alyssa Hastings made it a 4-1 contest as she singled to right field to score Stroud.
The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs behind a walk issued to sophomore Kylie Shaw and a single from Womack. Senior Destiny Rodriguez drove in Auburn’s third run of the second inning with a sacrifice fly.
With a pair on in the bottom of the third, Stroud delivered another single up the middle to pick up her second RBI of the game. A walk loaded the bases for Hastings, who delivered a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 7-1.
Another walk drawn by Shaw loaded the bases back up, Womack cashed in on an RBI as she drew Auburn’s fourth walk of the third inning. Roebuck put the game away in the bottom of the fourth as her two-run homer to left center pushed the game into run-rule territory.
GAME NOTES
- Kylie Shaw led off the game with an infield single. She has reached safely in all 14 games this season. Shaw has recorded a hit in 12 of Auburn’s 14 games.
- Ma’Nia Womack slugged her third home run of the season and the fifth of her career. Womack now has three multi-RBI games this season and five for her career.
- Womack added a single in the second inning for her fourth multi-hit game of the season, upping her career total to five.
- McKaela Walker knocked her third double of the season in the second inning. It was the fifth of her career. Walker added a single in the third for her third multi-hit game of the season and the fourth of her career.
- With a single in the second inning, Alyssa Hastings extended her hit streak to five consecutive games. Hastings drove in two runs to pick up her second multi-RBI game of the season. Her career total now stands at 17.
- Playing on her birthday, Kyla Stroud knocked a pair of singles to drive in two runs. It was her fourth multi-hit game of the season and her career. It was also her fourth multi-RBI game of the season to bring her career total to five.
- Haven Roebuck slugged her third home run of the season. She now has five multi-RBI games to her credit.
- Ella Harrison struck out five in her start. She has struck out at least five batters in nine of her appearances this season. She earned her sixth win of the season and her 18th of her career.
UP NEXT
Auburn continues its slate at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday. The Tigers battle in back-to-back contests against No. 21 Washington and Cal State Fullerton. Saturday’s action is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CT. Both games are available to stream on FloSoftball. A paid subscription is required. JJ Jackson will provide radio coverage on WEGL 91.1 FM. His radio call can also be streamed on the Auburn Tigers website and mobile app.
BACK AT HOME
Auburn returns to Jane B. Moore Field to host the Jane B. Moore Memorial on Feb. 26 to March 1. Troy, No. 17 Virginia Tech and USC Upstate complete the tournament field. The Tigers are slated to compete in six games over four days. Auburn will celebrate Aubie’s birthday on Feb. 28 with a pregame party for Aubie’s Kids Club members. Sunday will feature “Softballs from the Sky” as a helicopter will drop foam softballs on the field for kids ages four to 15.