AUBURN, Ala. - IUPUI softball lost to Auburn twice on Saturday (Feb. 28) by equal 5-0 scores. The Jags offense struggled to get things going against the Tigers pitching staff, managing just three hits over the two games.
Jaida Speth finished with two hits in the second game of the day and
Rachael Gregory finished 1-for-1 with two walks but IUPUI stranded eight runners in the night cap.
AUBURN 5 – IUPUI 0
The Jags could not get the bats going in the first game of the day against the Tigers as IUPUI was no-hit by Auburn starter Maddie Penta. IUPUI had 16-straight strikeouts to start the game before Tori Sivert flew out to center field in the sixth inning.
IUPUI starter
Lexi Lucas held the Auburn offense in check for the first three innings. Lucas stranded two runners in each of the first two innings before putting the Tigers down in order in the third.
Auburn's bats finally got to Lucas in the fourth on a leadoff home run that broke the scoreless tie. The Tigers would take advantage of an IUPUI error later in the inning to add another run to the board. Another error in the fifth inning led to Auburn scoring three more runs to increase the lead to 5-0.
The Jags avoided the perfect game with
Jaylin Calvert drawing a full count walk with one out in the seventh and
Rachael Gregory got on with a fielder's choice in the next at bat.
Lauren Youngblood kept the inning going with another walk but
Hailey Pop struck out to end any threat of an IUPUI rally.
AUBURN 5 - IUPUI 0
IUPUI again struggled at the plate in the second game of the day against the Tigers, managing just three hits. The first hit came in the second inning but
Rachael Gregory was stranded at first.
Jaida Speth singled in the third with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt but was left in scoring position after a strikeout.
After tallying three hits and stranding two runners in the first two innings against starter
Brooke York, Auburn broke through in the third with a grand slam. The Tigers would add another run later in the inning off
Carly Metcalf to push the lead to 5-0.
The Jags had a chance to claw back in to the game in the fourth, loading the bases with only one out but a strikeout and groundout kept IUPUI off the board.
IUPUI continued to threaten, getting a runner to second in the fifth and getting two runners on, including a runner to third, in the sixth, but could never get the clutch hit and were shut out for the second-straight game.
Jennah Speth was solid in relief for IUPUI, shutting out the Tigers over the last three innings.
UP NEXT
IUPUI will finish the Tiger Invite with one game on Sunday (Feb. 28). The Jags will take on Murray State in the final game of the tournament with first pitch set for 12 p.m. ET.
