May 22, 2010
ATLANTA – The Auburn Softball team staved off elimination from the 2010 NCAA Tournament with a 15-1 win over Jacksonville State Saturday afternoon at Shirley Mewborn Field.
Jenee Loree pitched six innings and gave up only one run on three hits for the Tigers, who will face Georgia Tech later tonight in their second elimination game of the day.
The Tigers 15 runs tied a Mewborn Field record for runs scored in a game. Host Georgia Tech also scored 15 runs on its home field on April 2 against Virginia Tech. The 14-run winning margin also matched the April 2 record.
“You don’t want to try to come from behind,” Jacksonville State head coach Jana McGinnis said. “We wanted to get a good start but we just didn’t. I don’t think we could match Auburn run for run and hit for hit. Give Auburn a lot of credit. They were disappointed about yesterday, but they responded today and played very well.”
Auburn got all the runs they needed in the top of the first inning on a throwing error by Gamecocks starter Ashley Eliasson, which allowed a pair of Tigers to cross home plate.
The Tigers held a 4-0 lead and added four runs in the top of the fifth inning.
The Gamecocks scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth as Hillary Downs crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Mary Beth Ledbetter.
Auburn capped their offensive outburst with seven runs in the final frame, capped by a homerun by Kelley Smiley.
Auburn will next face Georgia Tech tonight in the second elimination game of the regional. The winner of tonight’s game will face Oregon Sunday in the regional championship game at 1 p.m.
– NCAA Softball Regional Game Four –
