The No. 17 Auburn Tigers continued their hot non-conference play to open the season, defeating in-state opponent Troy 12-2. After a slow start, Auburn’s offense exploded, scoring all 12 of their runs in the fourth to win their 20th game before SEC play begins Saturday.
It was a quiet first inning for both offenses, especially for Auburn. Troy’s Alyssa Faircloth used her whole arsenal of high-speed pitches early that made Auburn’s electric offense wave at multiple fastballs high in the zone. Faircloth struck out eight of her first nine batters, only allowing Nelia Peralta to get on base after Faircloth hit her with a pitch.
Troy’s only scoring of the night came in the second, after Kayden Dunn hit a high fly ball over the left field that bounced off the scoreboard.
Faircloth would continue her dominance until the fourth inning, when her prior great control faltered. After a walk to Anna Wohlers and an unforced throwing error by Troy’s third baseman, Auburn finally had gotten Faircloth’s number. These rare and unforced errors by Troy’s defense gave Annalea Adams the perfect opportunity to continue her hot play from the weekend. Adams sent a ball to left field that doubled off the left-field wall and scored the two baserunners. Faircloth would get the first out of the inning and the last of her nine-strikeout outing two hitters after making contact with another batter in first-baseman Lech.
Faircloth’s faltering pitch control would make her pay even more the next batter. Auburn’s catcher, Kylie Brockman, would take advantage, as she drove a ball to deep right over the wall to make the game 5-2, only a couple of minutes after being down 2-0. This wouldn’t be her only homer of the inning as she hit another one to end Auburn’s scoring for the day. Nelia Peralta and KK McCrary would join Brockman in the homer column in the same inning as each drove in two runs. Icess Tresvik would tack on another run as she singled through the right side of the infield. Auburn's suddenly hot offense would bat around the lineup and force Troy to exhaust three pitchers in just one half-inning.
SJ Guerin would add one more to her nation-leading 13 wins three batters later, closing the game in the fifth to extend Auburn’s win streak to nine.
After the game, Auburn’s co-head coach, Chris Malveaux, talked about his team’s nation-leading 13th comeback win this season.
“For a while, I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried, but this team again has shown that over time that they are used to operating in that environment”.
Auburn softball will look to continue its hot play as SEC play begins. They will play Mississippi St. on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT. That game will be broadcast on WEGL 91.1 FM and SECN+.
