Tigers take series from Crimson Tide

Auburn ended its regular season with a series win against its biggest rival Saturday.

With the win Mickey Dean finished his final regular season as Auburn's head coach with a 27-18-1 record and went 9-15 in SEC play.The Tigers won their regular season finale and the series to in-state rival Alabama Saturday.

Game 1, W 4-3

Auburn scored all four runs in the first three innings, thanks to an Amelia Lech two-run home run and RBI singles by Rose Roach and Anna Wohlers.

Although there was occasional traffic on the base path, Maddie Penta kept the Crimson Tide at bay for most of the game and pitched the first six innings without allowing a run. Alabama tried to make a late rally, scoring three in the top of the seventh and even having the tying run on second base.

Penta then recorded strikeouts No. 8 and No. 9 of the day to secure Auburn the series-opening win.

Game 2, L 2-0 (11 inn.)

It was a length battle for game two.

Neither team found much opportunity to make noise until the sixth inning, when Auburn loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning. Alabama kept it quiet by striking out Lech, leaving the bases loaded.

Auburn returned the favor for Alabama in the seventh, as Penta recorded two straight outs to strand three Crimson Tide baserunners. The Tigers' ace had come into the game for Shelby Lowe, who had tossed six scoreless innings of three-hit softball.

Penta pitched the next 4.2 innings, before a single in the 11th inning pushed two runs across and tagged Penta with the loss.

Game 3, W 3-0

In a season where Auburn struggled to find more than two pitches, Annabelle Widra stepped up in a big way with the series on the line.

Widra pitched a complete game shutout, allowing four hits and striking out seven.

Auburn scored two runs in the second inning, coming from a pair of RBI singles by Anna Wohlers and Nelia Peralta. Amelia Lech homered for the second time in the series to make it 3-0 and Auburn held on for the series win.

Auburn will now turn the page to hosting the SEC Tournament May 7-11.