March 26, 2016
AUBURN, Ala. – No. 3/3 Auburn (30-4, 6-3 SEC) responded after South Carolina (24-9, 2-7 SEC) tied the game with one more run in the bottom of the fifth to claim a 4-3 win on Saturday night in the series finale at Jane B. Moore Field.
Two walks to start the second turned into three Tiger runs, as singles by Jenna Abbott and Whitney Jordan scored the two who walked and a groundout brought home Sydne Waldrop, who ran for Abbott.
South Carolina cut that lead to 3-2 when freshman shortstop Kenzi Maguire sent a 1-1 pitch over the wall in center for her first career homer, also scoring senior centerfielder Ansley Ard after she reached on an error. Junior first baseman Kaylea Snaer, moments after ending the fourth by starting and ending a double play, hit the 2-0 pitch way out to left to tie things at 3-3.
Auburn went ahead in the fifth on a bases-loaded grounder by Madi Gipson, scoring pinch runner Bree Fornis from third. That proved to be the winning run
The Gamecocks got the leadoff runner aboard in the seventh on Snaer’s single to left. A wild pitch moved sophomore pinch runner Jordyn Augustus to second, and she took third on a grounder to second. But the next out was that runner trying to score on a grounder. An infield hit put two Gamecocks on, but Tiger reliever Kaylee Carlson struck out the final pinch hitter to close out the win for Auburn.
Carlson (8-0) picked up the victory with 3.1 innings of relief, giving up one earned run on five hits while fanning one. Gamecock reliever Nickie Blue (11-7) took the loss, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks in two innings.
Game Changer:
Auburn’s resiliency, bouncing back after the Gamecocks tied it, ranked as the difference.
Key Stat:
South Carolina falls for the first time when hitting a home run, now with a record of 12-1.
Notables:
• Snaer’s game-tying blast in the fifth ties her for seventh on the Gamecocks’ career listing with 18 in her career, as she went 2-for-4.
• Maguire’s fourth-inning homer ranks as her first collegiate round-tripper, while she tied her career best in the 3-for-4 night.
• The Gamecocks turned two double plays on defense.
• South Carolina is now 22-2 when outhitting its opposition, posting 10 hits compared to Auburn’s eight.
• Freshman Kennedy Clark doubled, and sophomore Kamryn Watts went 2-for-3.
• Tigers Carlee Wallace and Victoria Draper both had two hits.
Up Next:
South Carolina begins a stretch of four non-conference games with a contest on Wed., March 30 at Charlotte. First pitch at the D.L. Phillips Complex is set for 5 p.m. EDT.
