May 17, 2008

College Station, Texas - Louisiana Tech pitcher Meghan Kreig forced Auburn's Brittany Scott to ground out with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh to halt an Auburn rally and end the game as the Lady Techsters won 2-1 and eliminated the Tigers from the NCAA Softball Regional.

Auburn concludes the season with a 38-22 overall record. The Tigers defeated Stephen F. Austin in the first elimination game of the day.

"Obviously we would have liked to have made it to Sunday," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "But, I'm very proud of the effort this team gave, not just this weekend but all season. Our pitchers did a tremendous job this weekend, giving up only four runs in three games. I can't say enough about our seniors. They are a tremendous group of individuals and they led the way for us all year."

The Auburn senior class of Jorja Bell, Brittany Day, Starr Dorsey, Jessica Martin and Brittany Scott end their careers with 150 wins, the third most by a senior class in the program's history.

Freshman Lauren Schmalz (8-4) took the loss for the Tigers. Schmalz allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits in three and one-third innings. Day pitched the final two and two-thirds without allowing a hit.

Mandi Bertsch (9-8) earned the win for Louisiana Tech. Bertsch gave up only two hits in four innings of work. Krieg earned her fourth save, allowing one unearned run on one hit in three innings of relief work.

Louisiana Tech took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Jessica Kirby connected on her eighth home run of the year. Kirby's solo shot came on a 2-2 pitch with two outs in the inning.

The Lady Techsters made it 2-0 in the fourth on Kylie Bassett's solo home run to left. The home run came with one out in the inning.

Down by two in the seventh the Tigers mounted a rally. With Myesha Finney (hit-by-pitch) at first and two outs, Alicia Hunolt hit a ground ball that would have forced Finney out at second, but Tech's Bassett dropped the ball to put runners at first and second.

Starr Dorsey followed with a single through the right side to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Krista Klein then drew a walk to force Finney home and cut the deficit to 2-1. With the tying run at third, Kreig got Scott to ground out to shortstop to end the game.

In game one Saturday, Auburn pitchers Lauren Schmalz, Angel Bunner and Anna Thompson combined to hold Stephen F. Austin to only four hits as the Tigers eliminated the Lady Jacks 2-0.

Schmalz (8-3) earned the win in her first postseason start and went two and one-third innings, allowing three hits. Bunner gave up one hit in three and two-thirds innings of relief work. Thompson earned her fifth save of the season after pitching a perfect seventh inning.

The Tigers got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the third inning. Myesha Finney was hit by a pitch and then stole second to move into scoring position. Tatiana Fernandez then delivered a two-out single up the middle to score Finney and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Auburn increased its lead to 2-0 with a solo home run to left off the bat of Fernandez in the top of the fifth. It was Fernandez's seventh home run of the season and came on a 0-1 pitch.