Aces drop nail-biters to Creighton and Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. – Sophomore Morgan Florey got the job done in the circle and at the plate on Saturday as the University of Evansville softball team gave Creighton and second-ranked Auburn everything it could handle at the Plainsman Invite.
In the opener, it was Creighton scoring a run in the 8th to earn a 1-0 win while UE dropped a close one to #2 Auburn, 5-3.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the way we responded and competed today! This schedule was built to challenge us early to see what we are made of; and these young women are showing me a lot,†UE head coach Mat Mundell said. “Good things will come if we keep battling.”
Another defensive battle ensued in the opening game of the day against the Bluejays as the squads combined for six hits on the day. Evansville had four of them as Bryana Clark threw the complete game. Florey went the distance for UE, striking out seven while allowing just two hits.
Following 7 ½ scoreless innings, Creighton saw the winning run cross the plate as Aujanae McCoy hit a fielder’s choice to score Mikaela Pechar.
The final game of the day for the Aces saw them battle from adversity. Auburn scored the first run of the game in the top of the 2nd inning and added four more in the 4th with two scoring off of illegal pitches.
Facing that kind of deficit on the field of the second-ranked team in the nation, Evansville battled back with two runs in the fifth. Bailee Bostic led off with a single and was pinch run for by Deja Shelton. Shelton crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Chandra Parr. With two outs, Tess Hupe posted the second run of the game for UE. Brittany Hay stole second and Hupe wisely made it home on the throw.
Down to its final three outs, the Aces scored once more in the seventh when Hupe scored her second run of the day on a Florey single through the left side. That is as close as UE would get with Auburn finishing the 5-3 win.
Makayla Martin was credited with the win for the Tigers, going 3 1/3 giving up three hits. Emily Lockhart took the loss as she gave up five runs, three of them earned, in three frames of action. Ashleigh Downing went the final four innings, allowing just one Auburn hit.
Sunday will mark the final day of the tournament with the Aces facing Creighton once again at 9:30 a.m.
