Liberty University
0-3
No. 22 Auburn
2-1
5-Run 4th Sends Auburn Past Liberty
2/8/2020 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Liberty jumped out to a 3-0 lead over No. 22 Auburn with a three-run double by Denay Griffin in the first. However, the Tigers rallied with a five-run fourth inning to defeat the Lady Flames 5-3, Saturday at Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Auburn improves to 2-1 with the win, while Liberty is looking for its first win at the 2020 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic at 0-3.
Today's game was the first of four straight games against SEC opponents, as the Lady Flames will take on Mississippi State later today.
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – Griffin doubles to right center, Autumn Bishop, Amber Bishop and Hudson score, 3-0
Auburn – 4th INNING – Koepke homers to right, Jones and Florian score, 3-3
Auburn – 4th INNING – Perry homers to right, inside the park, 4-3
Auburn – 4th INNING – Powell scores on a wild pitch, 5-3
Notable Numbers
- Auburn outhit Liberty 5-3. The Lady Flames committed three errors compared to one for the Tigers. Both teams stranded one runner.
- Auburn's Ashlee Swindle (2-1) allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits, walking two and striking out three.
- Megan Johnson (0-2) drew the loss, allowing five runs on four hits with one strikeout in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Karlie Keeney pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-hit softball to keep Liberty in the game.
- Madison Koepke went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and one run scored for Auburn, while Justus Perry hit an inside-the-park homer.
- Kara Canetto went 2-for-3 with two doubles, while Denay Griffin doubled and drove in three runs and Blake Gibson (1-for-2) hit a double.
Turning Point
- Liberty led 3-0 after a first-inning bases-clearing double from Denay Griffin, but that was all of the scoring Liberty managed against Auburn.
- With one out and runners on second and third in the fourth inning, Koepke homered to right field to tie it. Perry then hit an inside-the-park homer to give Auburn a 4-3 lead. After a single by Makenna Dowell, Keeney came on in relief, allowing one inherited runner to score.
Beyond the Box Score
- Auburn now leads Liberty 3-0 all-time in the head-to-head series, as these two teams met twice in Auburn, Ala., in 2017.
- Current Liberty assistant coach Kasey Fagan was a graduate assistant at Auburn during the 2016 and 2017 seasons before joining Liberty's coaching staff.
- Griffin has driven in Liberty's last five runs, as she hit a pinch-hit two-run homer yesterday against Illinois.
- Amber Bishop has a hit in all three of Liberty's games so far this season.
- Liberty is now 0-2 against nationally-ranked opponents so far this season. The Lady Flames will face another Top 25 team tomorrow in Ole Miss, who is 21st in the preseason NFCA Top 25.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ashlee Swindle (2-1)
L: Johnson, Megan (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Canetto, Kara 1 ; Griffin, Denay 1 ; Gibson, Blake 1
RBI: Griffin, Denay 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 1 ; Hudson, Caroline 1
CS: Via, Madison 1
HBP: Gibson, Blake 1
Batting:
HR: Madison Moepke 1 ; Justus Perry 1
RBI: Madison Moepke 3 ; Justus Perry 1
SH: Abby Tissier 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jadia Jones 1 ; Phoebe Florian 1 ; Madison Moepke 1 ; Justus Perry 1 ; Makenna Dowell 1
HBP: Haley Nillen 1 ; Brittany Maresette 1
