Six-Run Seventh Lifts Auburn Softball to Walk-Off Win Over No. 13 South Carolina

AUBURN, Ala. — With the odds stacked against them and just three outs left to make something happen, Auburn softball dug deep, mounted a stunning comeback, and delivered one of the most dramatic wins of the season. Trailing by four runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Tigers exploded for six runs — capped by a two-run walk-off single from senior shortstop Emma Sanders — to stun No. 13 South Carolina, 7-6, at Jane B. Moore Field on Friday night.

The comeback wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.

Facing one of the best teams in the country, Auburn showed grit, resilience, and a refusal to quit, delighting the home crowd and sending a strong message to the rest of the SEC.

Early Struggles: South Carolina Sets the Tone

South Carolina wasted no time establishing control. In the top of the first inning, leadoff hitter Bella Hughes smacked a double down the left-field line. Two batters later, senior catcher Lindsay Greer drove her in with a sharp single to center, giving the Gamecocks an early 1-0 lead.

Auburn’s starter, sophomore ace Jordan Jennings, fought through the first inning but struggled with her command early. South Carolina continued to apply pressure in the second, stringing together two singles and a sacrifice fly to extend their lead to 2-0.

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s pitcher, All-American junior left-hander Riley Kirkpatrick, dominated through the early innings. Mixing a wicked rise ball with devastating off-speed pitches, she kept Auburn’s hitters off balance, recording five strikeouts in the first three innings.

Auburn managed to scratch across a run in the bottom of the third when freshman outfielder Kenzie Parker doubled to the gap in right-center and later scored on a fielder’s choice groundout by senior Kayla Green, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

But South Carolina wasn’t finished. In the top of the fourth, they struck again, this time in a big way. With two runners on and two outs, designated player Maddie Sims blasted a 3-1 pitch over the left-field fence, a towering three-run homer that silenced the Auburn faithful and stretched the Gamecocks’ lead to 5-1.

Auburn’s Defense Holds the Line

After the fourth, Auburn coach Mickey Dean made a pitching change, turning to junior right-hander Payton Morgan to stem the bleeding. Morgan was brilliant, shutting down South Carolina’s offense and giving Auburn a chance to claw back.

Morgan retired nine straight batters between the fifth and seventh innings, keeping Auburn within striking distance. Meanwhile, Auburn’s defense tightened up, with Sanders flashing leather on a highlight-reel diving stop in the sixth that saved a run.

“I just knew we had to keep the game close,” Morgan said afterward. “If we could get back to the dugout, I believed something good was going to happen.”

The Seventh Inning: A Rally for the Ages

Still trailing 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Auburn faced long odds. South Carolina had turned to their dominant closer, Olivia Burns, who had allowed just two earned runs all season.

But Auburn wasn’t ready to fold.

Leadoff hitter Jordan Sinclair started the rally with a sharp single up the middle. Then came junior third baseman McKenna Wilson, who worked a walk after a nine-pitch at-bat, fouling off tough pitches and refusing to give in.

With two runners on and no outs, Parker — the freshman spark plug — ripped a single into left field, loading the bases and igniting the Auburn dugout. The crowd, sensing something special, came alive.

Green, who had struggled earlier in the game, came through when it mattered most. She lined a two-run single to right field, cutting the deficit to 5-3. The pressure was now squarely on South Carolina.

After a pitching visit and a strikeout, Auburn’s sophomore catcher Leah Mathews delivered a clutch RBI single to center, making it 5-4. Suddenly, Auburn had runners at first and second with just one out and the winning run on base.

South Carolina managed to get a second out on a groundball fielder’s choice, setting up a tense two-on, two-out situation with Sanders coming to the plate.

Emma Sanders: The Walk-Off Hero

With the game on the line, Emma Sanders stepped into the batter’s box with ice water in her veins. On a 2-1 count, Burns tried to sneak a fastball past her, but Sanders was ready. She lined a sharp single into the right-center gap, splitting the outfielders. Mathews scored easily from second to tie the game. As the ball rolled to the wall, pinch-runner Hailey Carter raced around third.

The throw home was close — but Carter slid in headfirst, just under the tag.

Ballgame. Auburn wins, 7-6.

Sanders threw her helmet into the air as her teammates mobbed her near second base, the crowd roaring in pure jubilation.

“I’ve dreamed about moments like that my whole life,” Sanders said afterward, fighting back tears. “All I was trying to do was put the ball in play. My teammates did all the hard work getting on base. I just had to finish it.”

Coach Dean: “This Team Believes”

Auburn coach Mickey Dean, who celebrated his 200th career win with the Tigers in emotional fashion, praised his team’s resilience.

“We’ve talked about belief all season,” Dean said. “Believing in yourself, believing in each other. We didn’t quit. We kept grinding. That’s who we are.”

Dean also credited the raucous home crowd for helping fuel the comeback.

“You could feel the energy shift in that seventh inning,” he said. “Our fans didn’t sit down. They kept pushing. Our players fed off that.”

Key Performances

• Emma Sanders: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs, including the game-winning hit.
• Kenzie Parker: 3-for-4, 2 runs scored. The freshman showed poise beyond her years.
• Payton Morgan: 3.0 innings pitched, no runs, no hits allowed, and 4 strikeouts in relief.
• Kayla Green: 1-for-4, 2 RBIs during the critical seventh-inning rally.

South Carolina’s Lindsay Greer finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, while Maddie Sims’ three-run homer appeared for a time to be the difference-maker before Auburn’s late heroics.

What This Means Going Forward

For Auburn (now 28-12 overall, 8-7 SEC), the victory over a top-15 team provides a massive boost to their NCAA Tournament resume. After a few frustrating series losses earlier in the season, this win could serve as a turning point.

The Tigers still have two games left against South Carolina this weekend, and Dean emphasized that while the win was exciting, there’s no time to get complacent.

“Tonight was magical,” Dean said. “But tomorrow’s another battle. South Carolina is going to come out angry. We have to match their intensity.”

South Carolina (32-8 overall, 9-6 SEC) will need to regroup quickly. Coach Beverly Smith noted the importance of finishing games, something the Gamecocks had prided themselves on before Friday’s collapse.

“Give Auburn credit. They earned that win,” Smith said. “But we have to be better. We have to find a way to shut the door.”

A Win to Remember

Some wins define a season. Some wins define a program. Friday night’s victory may just be one of those for Auburn softball.

It was a night of perseverance, belief, and unforgettable drama — a night when young players stepped up, seniors seized their moment, and a team rallied behind each other to achieve the improbable.

As the sun set over Jane B. Moore Field and the Auburn fans celebrated late into the evening, the feeling wasn’t just one of excitement. It was of possibility.

Auburn showed they can beat anyone, no matter the circumstances. And they showed that in softball, sometimes belief — and a little late-inning magic — can carry you farther than anyone thought possible.