# 21 Auburn ended its 11-game winning streak Friday night at Jane B. Moore Field when No. 4 Alabama beat the Tigers 6-0 in the SEC opener.
Maddie Penta started on Friday in the circle of tigers. The previously unbeaten Penta battled the Crimson Tide, which brought Penta their first loss of the season.
Against Alabama, Penta threw four innings and gave up nine hits, four runs and one inexperienced run while scoring two hits.
« If you throw as much as these pitchers, no matter where they are in the country, they’re going to have games like this, » said head coach Mickey Dean. « For her, we know it’s early in her career. It’s only the second SEC team she has faced and it happened to be a top five team that has a lot of power in its line-up. » / p> The Crimson Tide took an early lead in the first inning with an RBI double to take two runs home.
Auburn loaded the bases with an out in the lower part of the first, but a strikeout and ground out ended the chance to score.
In the second half, Alabama’s home run extended the lead to 3-0. For Auburn, the lower half of the inning consisted of two ground outs and a strikeout.
While Penta and the Tigers gave up the runs in the first and second innings, the newcomer held the Crimson Tide goalless in the third and fourth innings.
While pitching and defense improved, Auburn was still unable to cross home plate. The Tigers got a second chance with the bases in the lower part of the third loaded with no outs.Auburn’s second chance with the loaded bases resulted in the Tigers jumping out, kicking out and falling out without scoring any runs.
After the third inning, Auburn’s bats fell silent as the Tigers had only two hits the rest of the way.
After Alabama went goalless in both third and fourth games, the Crimson Tide returned in fifth Inning back on the board. Alabama led the inning with a single and followed with a two-part homerun.
After the homerun, Auburn called on Lexie Handley to end the game. Handley pitched three innings that allowed for two hits, a walk, a run and a strikeout.
On the seventh, Handley gave up a home run to give Alabama a 6-0 lead while Auburn was three up and three down went.
The Tigers and Crimson Tide are participating in a three-game series at Jane B. Moore Field this weekend. The game on Saturday starts at 4:00 p.m. CST and will air on SEC Network-plus.
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