Softball Tigers clobber WKU

AUBURN | The runs just keep on coming for Auburn softball.

The fourth-ranked Tigers scored the fourth-most runs in school history Friday night in a 19-1 win over Western Kentucky at Jane B. Moore Field. Auburn has out-scored its first two opponents by a combined 28-1.

“It’s always good to score 19 runs,” Auburn head coach Clint Myers said. “But, they gave us a lot. They walked us 12 times. It’s difficult to stay locked in when you’re seeing more balls than strikes. We only got seven hits tonight. We’re a much better ball club than what we displayed tonight.”

Auburn managed seven hits on the night along with 12 walks to improve to 2-0 on the season. WKU committed seven errors.

Sophomore Kaylee Carlson, a North Carolina transfer, allowed just one hit in four innings with two strikeouts to win in her first Auburn appearance. Freshman Makayla Martin got her first collegiate appearance in the fifth inning finishing out the game in order with two strikeouts.

“I thought the pitching was outstanding tonight,” Myers said. “I thought Kaylee (Carlson) did a great job. They wouldn’t have gotten that one hit had we turned the double play earlier in the inning. We have to be better from top to bottom and from start to finish.”

Carlee Wallace and Jade Rhodes each had doubles in the first inning to give Auburn the early 3-0 lead. Two of Auburn’s three runs that inning were brought home by Wallace’s two-bagger. Both her and Rhodes completed the night 1-for-2 with two RBI.

Auburn blew the game open with seven runs on just one hit in the second inning. Auburn walked the first three batters it brought to the plate before Western Kentucky committed three errors to allow seven runs to score. Rhodes had an RBI groundout and Victoria Draper added a bunt single.

The Tigers added nine more runs in the third inning and started to clear its bench to give other players some plate appearances. Freshman Tali Milde notched her first collegiate hit on a single back up the middle in the bottom of the fourth and redshirt senior Madison Dickey singled home a run in the third inning.

Auburn is back to the field tomorrow for a double-header against Butler and Furman at Jane B. Moore Field. Its game with the Bulldogs is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., followed by its contest with the Paladins at 3 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on SEC Network+ via the WatchESPN app or WatchESPN.com.