The University of Alabama softball team inched a step closer to adding another SEC Tournament Championship to the trophy case as they advanced to the semifinals with the 8-4 win against Auburn tonight at Carolina Softball Stadium in Columbia, SC. Bama will face the Georgia Bulldogs tomorrow at approximately 5:30 Eastern on ESPNU. Tide pitcher Jaclyn Traina ( 7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) also picked up her 100th collegiate career win.
Kasey Cooper got things going for Auburn in the top of the first with a one out single. Morgan Estell followed up with one of her own to put 2 on base for the Tigers. Jade Rhodes knocked an RBI single into left field with 2 outs to score Cooper to give Auburn the 1-0 lead. Alabama answered in the bottom of the same inning to tie things back up at 1. Kaila Hunt doubled to left field with 2 outs and scored on the hit from the bat of Molly Fichtner on the charged fielding error on Auburn’s Kelsey Boggards.
McKenzie Kilpatrick led off the Auburn 2nd with a double. Alabama pitcher Jaclyn Traina struck out the next two before giving up back to back home runs from Emily Carosone and Kasey Cooper to give Auburn the 4-1 lead heading into the bottom half of the 2nd. The home run derby continued into the Bama half of the frame as Marisa Runyon homered over the right field wall to make the score 4-2. The Tide had a little something left after back to back walks from Traina and Peyton Grantham. An RBI single from Kallie Case scored Danae Hays (Pinch runner for Traina) to make the score 4-3. Bama would then take the 5-4 lead after Hunt reached on a fielding error and bringing in Case and McCleney to score.
Not much going for Auburn in the top half of the third as they only get one base runner with a 2 out walk from Madi Gipson. Bama would add 2 more in the bottom half of the inning after Leona Lafaele was hit by a pitch with 2 outs and Traina homered as a train passed in the outfield, blowing the horn to salute as Bama took the 7-4 lead.
In the fourth inning for Auburn, Tiffany Howard was left stranded after a one out double. The Tide would add to their run total after loading the bases with one out. Fichtner reached on a fielder’s choice and allowed Case to score to make it 8-4.
Another quiet Auburn half in the 5th as Traina recorded her 4th strikeout of the game, retiring the Tigers in order. The Tide went fairly quietly as well as Jaclyn Train was the only base runner in the bottom of the 5th after being hit by a pitch but Peyton Grantham hit into the inning ending double play.
Auburn would get a runner into scoring position in the 6th after Austyn West led off with a walk with one out. West would be out on the next at bat on the fielder’s choice from Abbott. She would advance to second on a wild pitch but Tiffany Howard would foul out to end the home half of the inning. During the Bama 6th, McCleney would lead off the frame with a lead off single. She would advance into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt from Kallie Case but was left stranded after Jadyn Spencer grounded out to send the game to the 7th.
Branndi Melero would get a 2 out single in the top of the 7th and Estell would work a full count to draw a walk to put 2 on board for the Tigers but Traina would seal the victory with her 6th strikeout against Jade Rhodes.