KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (EETV)- Co-head coaches Chris and Kate Malveaux found their way back to Tennessee to lead the Tigers in a tough, and final conference road contest against the Lady Vols. Prior to the series, Auburn Softball held a (4-14) record in the SEC as they looked for their third consecutive SEC series win.
In the first of the three, the Tigers recognized the strength of pitching from Tennessee. Matching the Lady Vol's intensity, Malayna Tamborra got the start on the mound and kept the first two frames scoreless with SJ Geurin following suit up until the sixth. Two Tennessee homers in the bottom of the sixth broke the Tiger lead, as the teams head into the seventh with a 2-2 tie. Auburn was the first to break the scoring drought with two runs in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back singles from Roach and Smith put two on the diamond for Auburn. A left field single from Adams brought in two scores for the Tigers.
A strikeout and two ground outs, left the Tigers scoreless in the top of the seventh. Haley Rainey faced the last of the Volunteer lineup in the bottom of the seventh. After a walk, Tennessee's Pannell sent a homer to center field and claimed a walk off win to start the series.
Game two started off hot for the Tigers. A first inning home run to left field from Nelia Peralta put Auburn ahead. In response, a Tennessee single brought in a run for the Vols to tie the score. Unable to keep the offense moving, Auburn saw scoreless frames until the fourth. With Tennessee leading five to one after the bottom of the second, a single from Wholers in the fourth brought in pinch runner Thalia Martin. In the fifth, Lisenby and Roach were able to advance around the diamond and gain two more scores for the Tigers. After a scoreless sixth and seventh, the Tigers handed game two and the series to the Lady Vols.
Closing the series with a Saturday finale, Auburn faced a slow start to the offense with the first and only score coming in at the sixth. Abby Smith found first base with a single to shortstop. After Smith stole second, Adams batted her back to home plate with a single to center field. However, the Tigers could not compete with the four runs from Tennessee. Out early, the first of the Tennessee scores came from a wild pitch that brought Leach home in the bottom of the second. Three insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth secured the Volunteer sweep and handed Auburn the finale loss in a 4-1 final.
The Tigers face a midweek matchup against the non-conference South Alabama Jaguars on April 23. Auburn softball will return home for an SEC series against South Carolina starting on April 25.
