MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 12 ranked Auburn University at Montgomery Warhawks softball team (6-0) closed out competition at the Columbus State Invitational with a dominant 10-0 five-inning shutout victory over the Wingate Bulldogs (2-2), who received votes in the most recent Top 25 Coaches Poll, on Sunday morning.
 
COACH WILKES LANEY'S COMMENTS
"Thinking about the weekend as a whole, I couldn't be more proud of our team. When our offense scores 40 runs in four games, you know they are seeing the ball well. We will enjoy and celebrate the success from this weekend, but stay humble and get back to work on Thursday for our next opponent."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Karris Rhine was the first to get on base for the Warhawks after reaching on an error by Wingate's shortstop. A throwing error on the catcher allowed her to take second before Olivia Watkins' RBI single sent Rhine home to put AUM on the board.
 
The Bulldogs grabbed their only hit of the game in the third inning, but the Warhawks responded dominantly with nine trips around the diamond in the bottom of the frame.
 
As the first batter, Chloe Baynes set the tone with a bunt down the left field line to reach first base before stealing second. She advanced to third on Gabbi Barnowsky's at-bat, setting the stage for Rhine's RBI single.
 
With Rhine on second base, Rebecca Komers stepped up to the plate and launched a two-run homer over the left-center field wall.
 
After a pitching change for the Bulldogs, Kennedy Sevcik's HBP and Reese Cauley's single put two runners on base. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position and Gracie Suggs drew a walk to load the bases. Jasmine Sneed was next in the batting order and took full advantage of the situation. She beamed a grand slam over the center field fence, extending AUM's lead to 8-0.
 
The orange and black didn't stop there as Baynes singled before using smart baserunning, and a pair of Bulldog errors to complete her trip around the diamond. As a pinch hitter, Gracie Mason reached first on an error by Wingate's catcher, stole second base, and Rhine's RBI single up the middle brought Mason in for the team's 10^th run of the day.
 
With Reese Cauley allowing just one hit in the first four innings, and Alivia Messick stepping in and tossing a 1-2-3 fifth frame, the Warhawks' defense closed out the day with a 10-0 win.
 
NOTABLES

• AUM's 6-0 record marks its best start to a season since the team opened the 2021 slate by going 14-0.
• In all six of the Warhawks' wins this year, the team has scored at least one run in the first frame.
• After throwing a no-hitter in her last outing, Reese Cauley earned her fourth win of the season, tossing a 4.0 scoreless innings while giving up only one hit, striking out four batters, and allowing no walks.
• Alivia Messick took over at pitcher for the last three outs of the day with a perfect 1-2-3 inning.
• Jasmine Sneed's third inning grand slam and Rebecca Komers' two-run bomb highlighted the day for AUM's offense.
• Karris Rhine took two hits on three at-bats while adding two RBI and a pair of runs.
• Chloe Baynes also went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored two runs herself.
• Reese Cauley, Kennedy Sevcik, Rebecca Komers, Watkins, and Sneed each recorded a hit.

 
 
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will face Florida Tech for the second time this season, defeating them 5-3 in extra innings in their season opener, on Friday, Feb. 13 at 12 p.m. in Melbourne, Fla.
 
 
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