Box Score

The Basics
Score: Western Illinois 8, Western Carolina 0; #12 Auburn 9, Western Carolina 0
Records: Western Carolina 3-9, Western Illinois 4-10, Auburn 19-2
Location: Auburn, Ala. (Jane B. Moore Field)

AUBURN, Ala. -- Western Carolina softball dropped a pair of games to open the Wilson/DeMarini Classic Friday falling to Western Carolina 8-0 and No. 12 Auburn 9-0, in five innings, at Jane B. Moore Field.

Turning Point
Western Illinois scored in four of the seven innings, including three runs each in the third and sixth innings.

How it Happened
- After two scoreless innings, Western Illinois scored three runs in the top of the third.
- Western Illinois would go on to score a run in the fourth, three in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Inside the Box Score
- Western Carolina had seven hits in the game but left eight runners on base.
- Thrice the Catamounts stranded a runner at third.
- Seven different Catamounts had a hit in the game with none getting multiple hits in the contest.
- Sophomore pitcher Kinsey Liscio got the start and picked up the loss. She went 3.1 innings giving up four runs on six hits and struck out two. Liscio falls to 2-2 on the season.
- Haley Brogden replaced Liscio going 2.2 innings allowing three runs on four hits. Lily Hayes closed out the game tossing one inning giving up a run on a hit.

Turning Point
Auburn plated eight runs over a shortened five-inning game including a big four-run inning in the second inning.

How it Happened
- The 12th ranked Auburn Tigers were held scoreless in two of the five innings but still managed to score nine runs in the game with four in the second, three in fourth and two in the fifth to shorten the game.

Inside the Box Score
- Shaina Reed pitched four innings for the Catamounts in the shortened games giving up nine runs on 10 hits and struck out one. She falls to 1-3 on the year.
- Western Carolina had three hits in the game. Ashlyn Long, Madison Armstrong and Reed each had a hit for the Catamounts.

News & Notes
- Western Carolina has been shut out in three straight games. The Catamounts have not pushed across a run in 22 innings. The last time WCU scored was in the fourth inning of the Catamounts 5-1 win over Penn State on Feb. 24.
- In fact, Western Carolina has been shut out in four of its last five games. - Long is on a four-game hit streak tying for the longest of the season for the Catamounts.
- Western Carolina's big hitter Hunter Gibbons has not had a hit in five games.
- The Catamounts face in-state rival school UNCW on Saturday. The two teams are tied in their five meetings with each having won five games in the 10 meetings.

Up Next
Western Carolina will complete play in the Wilson/DeMarini Classic facing UNCW at 11:00 a.m. and a rematch with host Auburn at 4:00 p.m.

For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.