Box Score vs. Furman
Box Score vs. Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. – Eastern Kentucky lost a pair of games on the first day of the Tiger Invitational hosted by Auburn University. The Colonels (0-2) lost to Furman (2-1) by a score of 9-2. Auburn (7-1) downed EKU 7-1 in the second game.

Furman got on the board in the bottom of the first inning of game one when Stephanie Cushing hit a two-run home run over the center field fence. The score remained 2-0 until Furman pushed across five more in the bottom of the fourth. Stephanie Field’s two-out double platted three runs.

The Colonels scored their first runs of the 2009 season in the top half of the fifth. After a single by freshman Diane Gallagher, senior Pam Webber followed with a home run over the left field fence to cut the deficit to 7-2. However, EKU never got any closer. Furman added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to set the final score.

Freshman Brittany Mockbee (0-1) started and allowed seven earned runs on five hits. She struck out four and walked four. Lana Mackey (2-0) went the distance for Furman, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out seven.

Webber finished 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Field went 4-for-4 with four RBIs for Furman.

Auburn used the long ball to jump out to a big lead in the second inning. The first three batters reached on walks to load the bases. After a fielder’s choice cut down one runner at home, Myesha Finney followed with a grand slam. Kyndall White made it back-to-back homers with a solo shot over the left field fence and a 5-0 Tiger lead.

Morgan Murphy hit a two-run homer in the sixth to make it a 7-0 game in favor of Auburn. The Colonels got on the board in the top of the seventh. Webber doubled to center with one out. Two batters later, Jena Handley drove in Webber with a double to left.

Handley finished 2-for-4. As a team, EKU walked six batters. Stacye Toups (0-1) started the game and allowed five earned runs in one and two thirds innings. She walked four and struck out one.

Anna Thompson (3-1) scattered four hits over seven innings, walked five and struck out four while allowing one run for the Tigers.

On Saturday, EKU will play Missouri-Kansas City (0-5) at 6:30p.m. The Colonels will close out play on Sunday against Western Kentucky (3-1) at 12:30 p.m.