Softball Falls to South Florida and No. 16/17 Auburn on Saturday

Saturday, February 21

Tampa, Fla.

12:15 PM

Dartmouth College

1-2

South Florida

7-6

Dartmouth

USF

Softball Falls to South Florida and No. 16/17 Auburn on Saturday

2/21/2015 7:47:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Dartmouth

TAMPA, Fla. — The Dartmouth softball team finished it first weekend of the season with a pair of losses to South Florida, 5-0 and No. 16/17 Auburn, 6-3, at the Wilson DeMarini Tournament.

The Big Green are now 1-3 on the early season and will head to the Texas Invitational next weekend in Austin. Five Big Green finished with a pair of hits in the two contests and junior Katie McEachern blasted her first home run of the season in the first inning against Auburn.

"We played two great teams today, I liked our fight and our approach at the plate," head coach Shannon Doepking said. "I think you take away a couple hits and those are two close games. It's our first weekend out and we are going to continue to grown and learn and I'm excited to see what this team can do."

Senior Kristen Rumley (1-2) was dealt both losses but had a stellar performance against South Florida in the first game of the day. Rumley tossed six innings against the Bulls and allowed three earned runs and two unearned while striking out three. In the second game against the Tigers, junior Morgan McCalmon started in the circle but only tossed two innings. She allowed two runs on three hits before Rumley replaced her for the next four innings, where she allowed four runs on four hits.

In the opening contest, the Bulls scored three runs in the first inning on a three-run home run by Lee Ann Spivey. Although the Big Green did not get on the board, they outhit the hosts 10-7. South Florida added two runs in the fifth on a throwing error after Spivey grounded out.

Dartmouth threatened in the third but left three runners stranded. The Big Green loaded the bases with the first three batters — sophomore Alyssa Jorgensen, senior Megan Averitt and McEachern — reaching on an error, single and hit by pitch. USF's Erica Nunn was able to get out of trouble as sophomore Karen Chaw popped out, classmate Maddie Damore grounded into a fielder's choice and Rumley struck out.

In the second contest against Auburn, a rematch the Tigers were hoping for after the Big Green upset them a day earlier, saw the SEC powerhouse trail 3-0 in the opening frame after McEachern belted a ball over the right field wall. Dartmouth would load the bases once again and scored the third run on a walk after base on balls was issued to Damore, McCalmon and sophomore Chloe Madill. Auburn scored two in the second and another pair in the third to take the lead, 4-3. Morgan Estelle and Emily Carosone each hit two-run shots in consecutive frames.

In the sixth, it was another set of solo home runs by Haley Fagan and Estelle that allowed the Tigers to pull away.

Jenna Abbott lasted only two outs before she was pulled from the game for Auburn. Her replacement Rachel Walters (5-0) who finished the game and didn't allow a run by the Big Green except for three hits in 6.1 innings.

The Big Green will meet Lamar and Texas on Friday afternoon. The Texas game will be live on the Longhorn Network, part of the ESPN family of networks.