Strong pitching performances and junior catcher Tatiana Fernandez’s four RBI helped lead the Auburn softball to wins over Tennessee Tech and Lipscomb in the final day of the War Eagle Classic.

The Tigers improved to 20-3 with a 2-0 win over Tennessee Tech and a 6-1 win over Lipscomb.

Auburn will next open Southeastern Conference play with a midweek series against the 18th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs, with two games Tuesday and one game Wednesday.  Game 1 on Tuesday is slated for 5 p.m.

Against Lipscomb, senior pitcher Brittany Day (4-1) set a career best with 11 strikeouts to earn the win. Day allowed one run, earned, on six hits with one walk.

Fernandez put the Tigers on the board in the top of the first inning with a two-run home run to right. It was Fernandez’s second home run of the season and it came with Myesha Finney aboard.

Fernandez drove in two more runs in the third inning to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead. Brittany Scott singled to open the inning and moved to third on a single by Taryn Gray. Fernandez then singled up the middle to plate both runners, giving her four RBI for the day and equal her career best.

Still in the third, Starr Dorsey pushed the Auburn lead to 6-0 with a two-run home run. It was Dorsey’s first home run of the season and second of her career.

In the Tigers’ first game of the day, freshman Lauren Schmalz moved to 3-0 after throwing five innings of scoreless ball against Tennessee Tech.

Schmalz struck out six and gave up just one hit and one walk.

Sophomore Anna Thompson pitched the final 2.0 innings to earn her second save of the season. Thompson fanned three and did not allow a hit in her brief stint.

Clanton in second at UCF Challenge
ORLANDO, Fla. — Auburn freshman Cydney Clanton turned in the second lowest 18-hole score in school history and is one stroke off the top spot after first round action at the UCF Challenge.

The Tigers are tied for ninth with two days remaining at the par-72, 6,356-yard RedTail Golf Club.

Clanton finds herself one stroke off leader Alison Whitaker of Duke. Clanton turned in eight birdies on the day to score the second-lowest 18-hole round in Auburn history, 6-under 66

The last person to score 66 was Maria Martinez in 2003. Clanton bogeyed on the first hole, as did Whitaker. Clanton had one other bogey on 15, which was the difference in scores.

No. 7 Auburn is tied for ninth after firing 4-over 292. No. 3 Southern California is the leader after shooting 7-under 281. No. 1 Duke is one stroke behind in second, while No. 18 Pepperdine is four strokes off the top spot in third.

Sophomore Candace Schepperle shot 2-over 74 and is tied for 46th. Schepperle was even through the front nine.  She bogeyed on 11 and birdied on 17 and was back to even with one hole remaining. A double bogey on 18 put her at 74 for the day.

Men’s tennis drops match at Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 23 Auburn men’s tennis team lost the doubles point for just the third time this season Sunday as the Tigers (6-5, 2-2 SEC) dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 49 Mississippi State (5-5, 1-3 SEC).

“That was a pathetic effort in doubles, by far our worst of the season” said head coach Eric Shore. “Not to take anything away from Mississippi State, they played a good match today, but we were not ready.”

Auburn was swept in doubles for the first time this season. Following a 3-3 split in singles, the Bulldogs were able to pull out their first SEC win of the season.

“I take full responsibility for today,” said Shore. “We were not ready at the start of the match. In singles, we dug ourselves way too deep of a hole and came up short.”

Women’s tennis tops Mississippi State
The No. 40 Auburn women’s tennis team (11-3, 3-1 SEC) extended their conference record with a 5-2 win over Mississippi State (5-5, 0-4 SEC) at the Yarbrough Tennis Center on Sunday.

“The team put forth a very good effort today,” said Auburn head coach Tim Gray. “These are the types of matches where we have to put our best-foot forward and prove that we are ready to play with anybody. We still have some things to work on, but I am pleased with where we are right now and I like where we are headed.”

Alex Haney easily won Auburn’s first singles match, giving up only one game to MSU opponent Renee Joseph. Freshman Gaby Beelen claimed Auburn’s second singles point, allowing only two games to DeAndra Saddler.