AUBURN, Ala. – After a five-run first inning, Auburn softball (17-7, 0-1 SEC) clawed back into the contest, but Kentucky (19-4, 1-0 SEC) found offense late to take an 8-3 victory Friday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
After the opening frame, sophomore Ella Harrison settled into the game and struck out seven to keep Kentucky scoreless until the seventh inning when the Wildcats broke through for three late runs. The Tigers had chances with a base runner reaching in each of the last four innings but were unable to score.
“It wasn’t the greatest start,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “It certainly wasn’t Ella’s best inning, but she bounced back. We didn’t bounce back as a team. We were chipping away and having competitive at bats, but we also left some out there. The later it got, the more defensive we got. That can’t happen in conference play. We put ourselves in a bad position. We’ve got to do a better job of understanding that adversity is going to hit. We have to do a better job of finding ways to make things happen to get ourselves back into the game.”
Auburn scattered four hits across the game with junior Alyssa Hastings coming up with the lone extra-base hit with a double in the third inning. Sophomore Kylie Shaw reached safely in all four of her plate appearances with a single and three walks.
Harrison (8-3) tossed 6.1 innings in her SEC debut. Redshirt freshman Abby Herndon closed out the game in relief.
Auburn had to play from behind out the gate as Kentucky plated five runs in the first with the help of a pair of home runs from Karissa Hamilton and Ella Emmert.
Two walks and aggressive base running allowed the Tigers to score twice in the bottom of the first without a hit. Shaw and senior McKaela Walker both moved into scoring position after tagging up on a fly ball to deep center.
Shaw would tag up and score on a sacrifice fly to right field. Walker tagged up and moved to third, but an errant throw to the bag allowed her to take an extra 60 feet and cut the score to 5-2.
The Tigers continued to chip away in the third frame. Hastings doubled to lead off the inning before Shaw singled to left field. An error by the Kentucky left fielder allowed Hastings to score.
Harrison settled in after the first inning, retiring seven straight Wildcats. Kentucky would not see a base runner until loading the bags in the fourth. Harrison countered with back-to-back strikeouts to hold the score.
She would turn in perfect innings in the fifth and sixth to give the Tigers a chance, but Kentucky was able to break through for three late runs to add pressure to the offense.
Auburn got a base runner in the seventh off a Shaw walk but was unable to mount a rally.
GAME NOTES
- Drawing three walks and hitting a single, Kylie Shaw extended her reached base streak to 24 consecutive games.
- Alyssa Hastings doubled in the third to bring her season total to five. It was the 30th double of her collegiate career.
- With her single in the third inning, McKaela Walker extended her hit streak to eight games.
- Ella Harrison has struck out at least five batters in seven of her 15 appearances.
UP NEXT
The series will be decided on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. Game two will begin in approximately 35 minutes following game one. Both games are available on the SEC Network+. Fans can listen locally on WEGL 91.1 FM or on the Auburn Tigers mobile app and website.