Auburn, Alabama (EETV)- After taking down the Gators in extra innings yesterday, the Auburn Tigers looked for an SEC series win against Florida in their final home game of the season here at Jane B. Moore field.
Florida gained a lead early on, after a grand slam from Jordan Roberts in the top of first inning. Lexie Handley was the starting pitcher for the Tigers, but after walking three of the four batters she pitched to, Ashlee Swindle came out of the bullpen to take her place.
In the bottom of the first, Tannon Snow responded with a home run of her own, making the score 1-4.
However, Florida had two more unanswered runs in the third inning putting them up 1-6.
In the bottom of the third, Florida’s pitcher Kelly Barnhill hit both Bree Fornis and Morgan Podany with pitches to put them on base. However, the Tigers left them on base when the inning ended, and the score remained 1-4.
While Barnhill struck out six players in a row in the fourth and fifth innings, Auburn’s Swindle held her own as well. Her pitching allowed zero runs, zero hits, and zero runners left on base between the fifth and sixth innings.
The second hit from the Tigers came from Casey McCrackin in the bottom of the seventh on a bunt attempt. But she was left on base after two fly-ball outs in a row ended the game.
“You have to put it all together,” said Auburn head coach Mickey Dean, “you’re getting ready to head into postseason, and all those little things add up. And you’re not gonna go up there with one swing and score six runs, so you’ve got to continue to peck away throughout the game.”
Auburn was unable to overcome Florida’s initial lead from the first inning and fell with a final score of 1-6. With the loss the Tigers move to 35 and 15 this season (10-11 in the SEC). Their last Southeastern Conference series will be played against the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville starting this Friday, May 3, at 6 p.m.
