AU ROUNDUP: Softball sweeps Alabama A&M

HUNTSVILLE —  Playing in temperatures that dipped below 40 degrees, the Auburn softball team swept a doubleheader from Alabama A&M on Tuesday, winning 4-0 and 6-0 .

Auburn improved to 12-1 overall. Alabama A&M dropped to 1-8.

In Game 1, the Tigers got a two-run home run from senior Jorja Bell to cap a three-run first inning. It was Bell’s second home run in as many games. 

Auburn would add another run in the fifth inning when Tatiana Fernandez scored on a wild pitch for the final 4-0 margin. Fernandez went 2-for-3 in the game with one run.

Sophomore Anna Thompson (6-1) got the win after throwing three-shutout innings and striking out three.

In Game 2, junior Taryn Gray went 3-for-3, scored and drove in a run to lead the Tigers to a 6-0 win. Starr Dorsey had a pair of hits and scored two runs and pitcher Brittany Day (2-0) threw a complete game shutout.

Auburn returns to action this weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The Tigers open with a 3 p.m. game against Georgia Tech and a 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Women’s golf in 7th
TUCSON, Ariz. — Competing in the windy desert, the ninth-ranked Auburn women’s golf team moved to seventh after two rounds of play at the Wildcat Invitational. The Tigers will conclude their first tournament of the spring today at 9 a.m. at the par 71, 6,166 Arizona National Golf Course.

Sophomore Candance Schepperle had the best performance of Day 2, firing a 5-over 76, and is currently tied for 19th. 

Freshman Cydney Clanton remained at the top for Auburn as she is tied for 15th. Clanton shot a 6-over 77 on Tuesday.

Junior Mariana Macias dropped 19 positions after shooting 10-over 81.  Senior Abigale Schepperle moved to 45th after firing 11-over 82. Senior Margaret Shirley shot 9-over 80. 

Competing as an individual, freshman Sarah Thead fired an 8-over 79 and improved to 58th. 

Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst remained the leader in the individual race after firing 1-over 72. Oklahoma State took over the lead on the team side after shooting 14-over 298.

Men’s tennis falls to UNC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The No. 35-ranked Auburn men’s tennis team fell to the No. 8-ranked North Carolina Tarheels, 4-0, Tuesday in Auburn’s first match against a Top 10 team of the season.

Auburn lost the doubles point for the first time of the season against UNC. Pawel Dilaj and Alex Petropoulos were defeated by Clay Donato and Chris Kearney, 8-6, while No. 43 Alexey Tsyrenov and Terence Nugent tied it up by defeating Taylor Fogleman and Stefan Hardy, 8-6.

The doubles point came down to the previously-undefeated duo of No. 31 Lukas Marsoun and Tim Puetz. In another 8-6 match, Marsoun and Puetz fell to Lenny Gullan and David Stone for their first loss of the season.

To start singles play, Marsoun was defeated by Donato, 6-2, 6-1, on court three.In No. 4 singles, No. 66 Kearney defeated Nugent 6-4, 6-4 to extend the Tar Heel lead to 3-0.

North Carolina clinched the victory, 4-0, on court five when Dilaj fell to Fogleman 6-3, 6-4.

Due to time constraints, play was stopped on the other courts when the North Carolina victory was secured.

Auburn returns home to open SEC play against No. 63 Arkansas on Friday at 1:30 p.m.