MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 6 Auburn University at Montgomery Warhawks (19-4) took down the Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes (9-11) 8-0 behind Reese Cauley's six-inning shutout and career-high performance before a five-inning 10-0 shutout with Sydni Free in the circle closed out the day.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One | AUM 8, GSW 0 (6 Inn.)
After being named the GSC Pitcher of the Week just a few hours earlier, Reese Cauley handled the first three batters in the Cane's lineup while punching out two. She came back to the circle in the second inning and struck out the side to keep Georgia Southwestern hitless.
 
The Warhawks got on the board in the bottom of the third inning behind a base hit from Rebecca Komers who would later score on a Cauley RBI-single.
 
With Cauley continuing to dominate in the circle, the Warhawks' offense was given the chance to break away. Whitney Well's drew a walk to lead off the inning before Kennedy Sevcik's sacrifice bunt advanced her to second base. Wells stole third before Chloe Baynes drilled an RBI-single to center field to complete Wells' trip around the diamond. Not long after, Komers roped a two-RBI double to left center field, plating Baynes and Gabbi Barnowsky to give the orange and black a 4-0 lead.
 
AUM's defense continued to thrive as Cauley improved her strikeout count to seven and a double play kept the Hurricane's scoreless through five frames.
 
The Warhawks continued to push ahead in the fifth inning behind base hits from Karris Rhine, Wells, Sevcik, Barnowsky, and Komers. With a pair of runners in scoring position Sevcik drilled an RBI-single through the left side to score Rhine. Just two batters later, Barnowsky hit an RBI-single to the shortstop to plate Sevcik. Komers' RBI base hit would later complete Baynes' rounding of the diamond and put AUM ahead 7-0.
 
Two more punches in the top of the sixth gave Cauley a new career-high before Chloe Hollon's run in the bottom of the sixth frame gave AUM an 8-0 run-rule victory.
 
Game One Notables

• Reese Cauley tossed a complete game shutout over 6.0 innings in the circle. She recorded a career-high of nine strikeouts while holding batters to just one hit on no runs with three walks. On the offensive side, Cauley took two hits on four at-bats, two runs, and an RBI.
• Rebecca Komers was perfect at the plate (3-for-3) while hitting a double, bringing home three runs, and scoring once herself.
• Chloe Baynes went 2-for-4 in the batter's box while scoring twice and adding an RBI.
• Eight Warhawks finished game one with at least one hit while the team stole seven bases.

 
 
Game Two | AUM 10, GSW 0 (5 Inn.)
The Warhawks brought its momentum into game two, keeping the Cane's off the board in the top of the first inning, behind Sydni Free's strong pitching and a hot start for the offense. Baynes drew a walk as the leadoff batter before swiping second base not long after. This set up Barnowsky's unconventional at-bat where her bunt single brought her on board before a throwing error on Georgia Southwestern's catcher allowed her to round the diamond while Baynes scored on the distraction. Later in the inning, Rhine hit an RBI-single through the left side to plate Komers and put AUM in front 3-0.
 
With Free in the circle, the Hurricanes were unable to add any hits in the third or fourth innings. This allowed AUM's offense to take over in the bottom of the fourth frame.
 
Base hits from Meredith Kellum and Hollon landed two runners on base before Baynes launched a two-RBI triple through the left side to score both runners. With Baynes on third, Barnowsky's RBI-base hit allowed her to easily trot home. As the next batter, Komers drilled an RBI-double to left field, giving Barnowsky a run. The string of hits continued with Rhine's RBI-single to plate Komers and extend the orange and black's lead to 8-0. The Warhawks added a pair of insurance runs to its efforts in the inning behind Ariana Machado's RBI-double and Kellum's RBI-single.
 
With the run-rule in effect, AUM notched a double play before a pop up would close out the game with AUM earning a 10-0 five-inning shutout victory.
 
Game Two Notables

• Sydni Free tossed a complete game shutout with 5.0 innings of work and four strikeouts. She allowed just two hits with no runs while giving up just one walk.
• Chloe Baynes was perfect at the plate (2-for-2) while drawing a walk, scoring a run, and bringing home a pair of teammates.
• Gabbi Barnowsky notched two hits on three at-bats, two runs, and an RBI.
• Karris Rhine also went 2-for-3 in the batter's box while adding two runs and an RBI.
• Meredith Kellum totaled two hits on three attempts and an RBI.
• Rebecca Komers and Arianna Machado each hit a double while Baynes added a triple.

 


UP NEXT
The Warhawks return to Gulf South Conference action this weekend with a series against Christian Brothers in Memphis, Tenn. Friday's doubleheader is set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
 
 
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