MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn University at Montgomery Warhawks softball team (2-0) took down the Florida Tech Panthers (2-1) 5-3 after eight innings before defeating the St. Leo Lions (1-1) 4-1 at the 2026 Gulf Shores Invitational on Friday.
 
COACH WILKES LANEY'S COMMENTS
"Overall, it was a great day for AUM Softball. We faced two great opponents and came out on top. Super proud of our team and how we played today."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
Game #1 – AUM 5, FIT 3 (8 Inn.)
Chloe Baynes opened the day with single up the middle before stealing second base not long after. Karris Rhine followed with a two-run homer over the left field fence as her first at bat of the 2026 season.
 
Florida Tech responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with a pair of hits that scored one run and cut AUM's lead to 2-1.
 
A scoreless fifth inning brought us to the bottom of the sixth frame where the Panthers plated another run to even the score at two runs apiece.
 
No runs from either side in the seventh inning brought the game to extra innings. Jasmine Sneed was placed on second base to start the eighth inning. A Panther error put Baynes on third base and brought Sneed across home plate for the go ahead run.
 
Gabbi Barnowsky stole second base after hitting a single on her extra innings at bat. This set the stage for Kennedy Sevcik's RBI that brought Baynes in for another AUM run.
 
Rebecca Komers was the next batter for the Warhawks and was able to reach first base on a Panther error which also sent Barnowsky home and put AUM ahead 5-2.
 
Reese Cauley closed out the final 2.0 innings on the mound while holding the Panthers to no earned runs, securing the 5-3 extra innings victory for the Warhawks in their season opener.
 
GAME #1 NOTABLES

• Chelisa Newsome put in 6.0 innings of work on the bump while allowing only two runs and striking out seven opposing batters.
• Reese Cauley earned the win for throwing the final 2.0 innings while holding opponents to no earned runs.
• Over four at bats, Karris Rhine recorded two hits and two RBIs with a home run in the first inning.
• Chloe Baynes finished game one with two hits on four at bats while stealing a pair of bases and crossing home plate twice.
• Gabbi Barnowsky posted two hits on four at bats with two stolen bases and two runs.

Game #2 – AUM 4, St. Leo 1
 
Baynes led off game two with a walk before stealing second base on the next at bat. An error on the Lion's catcher gave Barnowsky first base and brought Baynes to third. Cauley's sacrifice bunt drove in Baynes and put the Warhawks on the board early. AUM continued to battle in the first inning with Barnowsky scoring on a wild pitch to put AUM ahead 2-0.
 
The Warhawks added another run in the second frame when a Lion's error allowed Komers to score.
 
An RBI triple from Saint Leo's Briana Neal put the Lions on the board, but AUM responded in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles from Rhine and Cauley to hold a 4-1 lead for the Warhawks.
 
The scoring halted there with Cauley pitching all seven innings while holding St. Leo to just one run in the third frame. AUM's strong defense closed out the game with a 4-1 victory, completing AUM's time at the Gulf Shore Invitational.
 
GAME #2 NOTABLES

• Karris Rhine led AUM's offense with two hits over four at bats while adding a run.
• Chloe Baynes recorded one hit on two at bats while drawing two walks and stealing two bases.
• Reese Cauley earned the win after pitching a complete game. She only allowed one run on six hits and didn't walk a single batter.

UP NEXT
The Warhawks will compete in the Columbus State Invitational next weekend beginning with two games on Friday, Feb. 6 against Flordia Southern at noon and the hosts, Columbus State at 4 p.m.



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