Women's College World Series | Kaylee Carlson Tosses Auburn Into The Winner's Bracket With 10-3 Win Over UCLA

Sometimes you can dig a hole so deep that you just can't get out of, and when you're facing a pitcher that's only lost twice on the season that's not something you can get away with. UCLA dug such a hole in Oklahoma City on Thursday afternoon and the Bruins never quite recovered. Seven Auburn batters reached base in the opening frame but only one of them was with a hit. UCLA pitchers drilled four batters to put them on safely and the Tigers were also able to capitalize on an error to close out the opening frame with a 5-0 lead.

Auburn starting pitcher Kaylee Carlson was just the opposite of her counterparts. Entering the game with a 17-2 season record, she took control of the UCLA offense by silencing their bats and keeping runners off base.

The Tigers added to their lead in the bottom of the third when a single to right field by Emily Carosone plated to more runs to make it 7-0 and start rumblings in the stadium about a possible run rule. UCLA quickly changed that tone in the top of the fourth with a three-run homer, by Mysha Sataraka, that landed beyond the left field bleachers but Haley Fagan pushed Auburn's lead back up to 8-3 in the bottom half of the fourth with an RBI double to centerfield.

Kasey Cooper would tack on two more runs for Auburn in the bottom of the sixth with a two-RBI double and the lead was back to seven at a 10-3 final. It was the tenth complete game of the season for Kaylee Carlson who finished allowing just the three runs off seven hits with two strikeouts.