JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Auburn’s softball (5-0) remained undefeated on Saturday after the opening of the Osprey / Dolphin Invitational with wins over No. 19 South Carolina (1-1) and Jacksonville (2-3) at the UNF Softball Complex.
South Carolina’s No. 19 managed two runs in the first inning, but Auburn struggled against the base throughout the game to take a 5-3 lead at the end of the seventh round. South Carolina would reduce the lead to a run, 5-4, but first year pitcher Maddie Penta left the victorious race stranded in the scoring position in a complete and courageous game performance.
Throughout his seven work entries, Penta (3-0) allowed four runs in five walks and six strokes. They were the first deserved races that the right-hander allowed this season. Penta hit nine hitters, the best of his career.
Junior Aspyn Godwin had a great game on the board against the Gamecocks, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and his second home run of the season. Freshman Denver Bryant got two hits against South Carolina, including the first double of his career.
Auburn scored early against Jacksonville, playing races in the first three starts to build a 4-0 lead. Tigre’s attack was highlighted by the first university freshmen home run Makayla Packer.
Freshman Shelby Lowe (1-0) and second year KK Dismukes combined to keep the Dolphins goalless during the first six innings, before allowing a solo home run in the seventh. Lowe won his first high school win at the start, while Tigers remained undefeated with a 5-1 win.
“When our pitchers worked ahead, they were very successful,” said the head coach Mickey Dean. “They were almost impossible to hit. The only time we got into trouble in the circle was when we fell behind in the count. We recognized that and we will work on it. Offensively, we scored in many different ways today, which is what you would like to see outside your team. Defensively, I thought we were doing very well. We made some important plays and did not allow the other team to prolong the game by making defensive mistakes. “
SOUTH CAROLINA RECAP
Gamecocks attacked first with some double magic at the bottom of the first. With two in after a couple of hikes, Kassidy Krupit cleaned the bases with a double to the right center.
The Tigers regained the advantage in second place with an individual home run to the center of Godwin to lead the inning.
Graduated student Alyssa Rivera led the third with the help of a Gamecock error in the third. After Rivera passed second, senior Kaylee Horton chosen for second to put two. Senior Makenna Dowell moved the two runners to the scoring position with a sacrifice bunt
Auburn would tie the game on a ball thrown into the right field. Freshman Paige Geraghty, in the game as a substitute runner, passed in second, allowing Horton to score in the shot to give Auburn a 3-2 lead. Godwin extended the lead to 4-2 with a single RBI to the right center.
The Gamecocks responded at the end of the fourth, putting together a pair of two individual exits to run a race.
After exchanging a fifth goalless, freshman Kelsey Schmidt worked his own double magic with a double field to the right. Bryant would take her home with a single to the center to push Auburn’s lead for two runs.
South Carolina made things interesting at the end of the seventh, starting the inning with a single bunt and an Auburn mistake to move a runner to the scoring position. After a passing ball moved the Gamecock runner to third place, a unique walk put the tie race at the base.
An out-of-left pair drove in a race, reducing Auburn’s lead to 5-4. South Carolina charged the bases with a shot put, but Penta responded with a strikeout to secure the turnaround.
JACKSONVILLE RECAP
Rivera led the game with a single to the left before moving to the goal position after a Jacksonville mistake on a ball on the ground for Horton’s second. With two eliminations, Jacksonville threw the ball into the open field in a failed retreat attempt at Horton, allowing Rivera to reach third place. With Horton stuck in a race between the first and the second, Rivera would mark the first race of the game.
Auburn would increase the lead to 2-0 at the top of the second position with the first home run of Packer’s career, a solo shot from the marker in the left center.
Rivera led the third place advancing to the second place in a field error on the right. Horton would drive in pinch runner senior Tyler King with a single field on the left. Graduated student Justus Perry would push Auburn’s lead to 4-0 with a single one-out RBI to the left.
Tigers would not score again until the top of the seventh. King started inning with a single infield, but would be called second in choosing a sophomore field player. Lindsey Garcia. Dowell moved Garcia into the scoring position with a single on the right before Perry loaded the bases with a single on the left. Senior Abby Tissier would extend the lead to 5-0 with an RBI in choosing a fielder for third base.
Jacksonville’s only round in the game was a two-game solo home run at the bottom of the seventh after Kailey Harrigan’s bat.
After an unstable start, Lowe retired nine straight on his second school start. She allowed three strokes, all simple on the first entry, but did not give up on a run to score thanks to freshman assistance Kelsey Schmidt on the left to hose a base aisle on the board. Lowe eliminated two in his first high school win.
Dismukes launched the last three entries, giving up just one walk and the individual home run. She hit four.
TIGER TRACKS
- The Tigers’ victory over South Carolina was 100º Auburn career win for head coach Mickey Dean.
- Today’s victory over Gamecocks was 19º beat a ranked opponent during the Mickey Dean it was.
- The Tigers now have a 5-1 record against South Carolina in games played at neutral locations.
- Maddie Penta is Auburn’s first freshman pitcher to start his career 3-0 since Makayla Martin in 2016. She hit a record nine hitters in her game against South Carolina.
- Denver Bryant recorded his first multi-hit game of his university career with a single and a double against the Gamecocks.
- Makayla Packer hit the first home run of his college career with a solo shot against the Dolphins.
- Aspyn Godwin achieved his second home run of the season, bringing his career total to five.
- Alyssa Rivera reached the base safely in 17 consecutive games, dating back to the 2020 season.
- Makenna Dowell he tied his career on the high with his streak spanning seven consecutive games.
NEXT
Auburn closes the Osprey / Dolphin Invitational on Sunday with a rematch against No. 19 South Carolina. The first pitch is scheduled for 9 am CT.