Auburn Softball Opens Regional by Raiding East Tennessee State

Carlee Wallace had three RBI in Friday's regional opening win over ETSU

(Photo: Auburn Athletics/Dakota Sumpter)

Auburn Softball (47-10) opened the road to Oklahoma City on Friday in a big way, by downing East Tennessee (29-25) in game two of the Auburn Regional in run-rule fashion, 11-0.

The Tigers played rude hosts to East Tennessee State, a team that’s playing in their first ever NCAA Regional after winning the Southern Conference tournament, by unloading 10 of their 11 runs in the fourth inning, securing the win.

Auburn got on the board first in the second inning. With one down, Kendall Veach took a 3-1 pitch to left field for a triple, setting up Courtney Shea to put her team ahead. The designated player in yesterday’s game did just that, as she singled to right field in the next at-bat, plating Veach.

It took the Tigers nearly two rotations through the lineup for the bats to come alive, and were unrelenting once they arrived.

Jenna Abbott grabbed a bat for Morgan Podany in a pinch hitting role, and expanded Auburn’s lead to 2-0 with an RBI single with two on, scoring Veach. Coach Clint Myers elected to load the bases with speed, as Podany re-entered the game to run for Abbott, and Bree Fornis entered the game to run for Shea, who reached base earlier in the inning on a walk.

Speaking of speed, Casey McCrackin reached base in the following at-bat on a bunt single that scored Fornis, expanding the lead to 3-0. The big blow of the inning, came off the bat of Carlee Wallace, who earned three RBI on a double down the left field line with the bases loaded.

Veach, Fornis, Kasey Cooper, Justus Perry, and Whitney Jordan each earned RBI in the inning, two of Auburn’s runs were scored on bases-loaded walks. Jordan’s RBI single was the final run scored in the game for Auburn.

In the circle, Makayla Martin showcased a dominant performance, allowing one hit in five innings of work, striking out five.

The victory over East Tennessee State was the first time since April 26 that Auburn has downed an opponent in a run-rule capacity. The Tigers downed Alabama State at Lagoon Park in Montgomery 14-1 in six innings the last time out, and has run-ruled 14 different teams this season.

With Auburn’s win, the Tigers will face California on Saturday at 11 A.M. Cal defeated Notre Dame on Friday, 6-2. Jazmyn Jackson went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run. Zoe Conley struck out seven batters in the circle for the Golden Bears, allowing only two hits.