BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — The Auburn High School softball team’s season ended in the 7A central regional tournament after losing its elimination game at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park Softball Complex on May 12.
Despite defeating Baker High School (31-17-2) 2-0 on May 11, the No. 7 Lady Tigers (27-13) lost 2-0 to Central High School (30-16) in the winners’ game later that day and 4-1 to BHS in the rematch the next day.
Having made regionals due to Smiths Station High School’s violation of contest limitation rules, AHS head coach Matt Hendricks said the pressure and outside talk likely had an impact.
“[My players] will say it didn’t affect them, but I know it did a little bit because we tried to do too much, and we were trying to prove to people that we deserve to be here,” Hendricks said. “We tried to do things that we don’t normally do. We ran into six double plays in those two games against Baker. I sent a runner when I never send a runner in that situation when I sent Brock, and I sent Reese to third from the first place coaching box when she got thrown out at third. Both of those are on me, they’re not on them.”
Throughout the postseason, the Lady Tigers also had difficulties generating offense, scoring seven runs over 42 innings in the area and regional tournaments.
Hendricks said those challenges boiled down to improved pitcher management by teams overall and the familiarity that comes with constant competition against one another.
“I tell people that as the season goes, it kind of has this roller coaster [effect],” Hendricks said. “When you get to the postseason, everybody’s also figured out, ‘Okay, we got a pitch to contact,’ and there’s a lot of familiarity.”
Game 1: Auburn 2, Baker 0
AHS stormed out of the gate and broke through in the top of the third when Reese Kelley lined a single to center field to score Caitlyn Brock from second base.
The Lady Tigers then tacked on an insurance run an inning later after Penton ripped a ground ball single into left field, plating Demi Alsobrook from second.
That was all the offense Brewer needed as she scattered just two hits over seven innings while walking one and striking out seven.
Katlyn Cone also went seven innings and took the loss for BHS. The Lady Honeybees’ starter surrendered two runs — one earned — on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Laina Rae Sawyer and Brock — who stole three bases — both collected two hits, while Penton and Kelley drove in a run apiece.
Game 2: Central 2,
Auburn 0
While the Lady Tigers benefited from a 2-0 scoreline, they found themselves victim to it in the winner’s game later that afternoon.
Following a start eerily similar to their area tournament matchup, CHS broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Those runs came after Lexi Kirk rolled a ground ball to third base, and an AHS error allowed Kennedi Ellis and Ramsey Vardman to score from third and second, respectively.
Lady Red Devils’ starter Kayla Storey required only that two-run cushion, scattering three hits over seven innings with no strikeouts or walks.
Brewer, again on the mound, took the loss after surrendering two unearned runs on four hits while striking out one and walking one across six innings.
Harris, Brock and Kelley tallied the Lady Tigers’ hits.
Game 3: Baker 4, Auburn 1
AHS appeared to have alleviated their offensive woes in the bottom of the first inning when Brewer lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Kelley from third.
However, BHS answered in the top of the third when Kristina Lapeyrouse tagged up and scored from third on a Madalyn Stuart pop-out in foul territory, knotting the game 1-1.
The Lady Honeybees then broke through with three runs in the top of the sixth. Rebecca Smith doubled to right field to plate Kaylee Boddie from second, then came around to score herself on Kynleigh Carter’s single to left and an AHS error. Nola Havard later followed with another single to left field to drive in BHS’s fourth run.
Katlyn Cone earned the win in relief for the Lady Honeybees, scattering two hits over three scoreless innings with one strikeout and no walks. Starter Madison Smith gave up five hits and one run across four innings, striking out three and walking none.
Brewer went the distance and took the loss for AHS, allowing four runs — one earned — on eight hits over seven innings with two strikeouts and one walk.
Kelley led the Lady Tigers at the plate, going 3-for-3, while Brewer’s sacrifice fly accounted for the team’s lone RBI. Hannah Sheppard turned a beautiful double play for AHS in the loss.
