AUBURN, Ala (EETV) - The Auburn Tigers faced the University of Virginia Cavaliers at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown on Friday. The game was an exciting back and forth battle featuring several lead changes.
Both teams came out hot in the first inning. Virginia scored the first run of the game with a homerun hit to left field by Bella Carbral. In the bottom of the first, Auburn’s senior third baseman, Anna Wohlers, was walked and KK McCrary shortly sent her home with a double to center field.
The second inning followed with more runs, Kailyn Jones singled to left field sending M.C. Eaton home, which put the Cavaliers over Auburn. Virginia may have taken the lead, but the Tiger’s came out swinging in the bottom of the second. Rose Roach hit a single, followed by Abbey Smith advancing to first base off a walk. Keeping the offensive mindset, Roach advanced to third and Smith stole second. Icess Trasvik sent both runners home with a double, putting the Tigers in the lead 3-2.
The Cavaliers dominated the third inning and kept the Tigers scoreless. Bella Cabral and Kelly Ayer both scored runs off of a double to center field by Macee Eaton. Utilizing the bull pen, Auburn replaced Haley Rainey with SJ Geurin, who struck two Cavaliers out allowing the Tigers to scrape out of the inning only allowing two runs.
After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, both teams had hot bats in the sixth inning. Virginia’s first batter up, Sydney Hartgrove, hit a home run to left center. Auburn matched this in the bottom of the inning with a home run to center field from Skylar Elkins.
Entering the seventh inning, trailing 5-4, the Tigers were desperate to stay alive. After not allowing Virginia any runs, Icess Tresvik hit a home run sending the game to an eighth inning.
Entering the eighth inning runners were placed on second base for both teams, per tournament rules for extra innings. After being placed on base for Virginia, Kamyria Woody-Giggets eventually rounded home, scoring a run and putting the Cavaliers in the lead over Auburn 6-5. The Tigers however, had victory in their sights and were determined to rally. Ma’Nia Womack ran home with the help of a bunt from Rose Roach and a Virginia fielding error. Bases were quickly loaded for the Tigers off of successful bunts from Abbey Smith and Nelia Peralta. The tension was high and Eden Bigham walked Icess Tresvik, sending Roach home for the game-winning run, finalizing the score 7-6 Auburn.
The Tigers showcased the ability to rally with both offense and defense, but two Tigers stood out offensively due to their home runs. Icess Tresvik hit a home run and obtained four RBI’s, along with Skylar Elkins who hit a home run and also had an RBI.
The Tigers will continue playing in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater invitational through Sunday.
