DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 14th-ranked Auburn University at Montgomery softball team shutout the University of Tampa 3-0 in game one before falling to Embry-Riddle in the final game of the Eagle Classic 9-5 on Saturday.
AUM finishes the tournament with a record of 2-2 to place them at 5-2 overall in 2022.
Offense was sparse in game one against Tampa as there were just 10 hits combined in the rematch of a game the night before. Freshman starter Morgan Ferguson surrendered seven of those hits but did not allow a run while striking out for to net her first career complete-game shutout.
Slugger Gia Martin was the entirety of the AUM offense against the Spartans, as she went 1-2 at the plate with a walk and a three-run home run in the first inning.
The first inning started with a leadoff single from newcomer Haley Ann Frank who was moved to second after a sacrifice bunt. After Molly Cobb reached on a fielder's choice, Martin slugged her second home run of the season.
After the first inning, the Warhawk offense was held in check as AUM recorded just one more hit in the game against the Spartans.
Tampa threatened in the top of the fifth inning against Ferguson as the Spartans had runners on first and second with two outs, but the rookie got out of the jam after a routine ground ball to second base ended the fifth inning.
Tampa would not go away quietly in the seventh inning as the Spartans recorded two-straight hits to begin the inning. A groundout placed runners on second and third with one out, but the freshman recorded back-to-back groundouts to escape the final inning without allowing a run.
Martin continued her stellar tournament and start to the season with a great game two against the Eagles. She drove in five runs and went 3-3 at the plate. With five RBIs against Embry-Riddle, Martin drove in all eight runs AUM scored on Saturday.
The Kentucky native got AUM off on the right foot in the top of the first inning. With Frank on first base, Martin laced a double into the outfield to score the freshman to put the Warhawks up 1-0 after one.
AUM starter Brinkley Yevak lasted just 1.1 innings after a rocky start to the game. The Eagles struck for three runs in the first after two singles, and an RBI groundout gave Embry-Riddle a two-run lead after the first inning.
The Eagles added another run in the bottom of the second after an RBI double to push their advantage to 4-1. Martin and the Warhawks responded again in the top of the third after the AUM centerfielder netted a two-run double to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Eagles, however, would push their lead back to three in the following half-inning as a two-run double and a wild pitch ran the score to 6-3 in favor of the home team.
Martin recorded her final two RBIs of the tournament in the top of the fifth on a two-run single to put the Warhawks to within a run, but Embry-Riddle countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take their eventual 9-5 win.
The Warhawks will return to action and will play in their final tournament of the season on February 19, when they will take part in the Red-White-Blue classic hosted by Columbus State. AUM will play the host Cougars in game one before taking on Georgia College in the second game of the day.
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The 2022 "All In For AUM" Campaign is a department-wide fundraiser taking place from Feb. 6-12. All donations this week, regardless of amount, are greatly appreciated and will go towards continuing to enhance our athletic programs. Donations can be made at the link below.
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