Auburn Softball Stumbles in Season Opener, Falls to North Florida 11-3
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The 2026 season got off to a rocky start for Auburn softball, as defensive struggles proved costly in an 11-3, five-inning loss to North Florida on Thursday evening at the UNF Softball Complex.
Four errors by the Tigers led directly to four unearned runs, and the miscues didn’t stop there. Auburn’s defense looked unsettled from the jump, and North Florida took full advantage, piling on seven more runs in the third and fourth innings to put the game out of reach early.
“To be honest, it was a shocker,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux postgame. “We had a hard time responding to adversity.
You could see the youth of this team right away. We needed someone to step up and reset the group, but it was tough to get that today.”
Despite the lopsided scoreline, there were bright spots-especially at the plate. Redshirt sophomore Kyla Stroud, returning from injury, looked sharp in her first game action since last March.
She went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI, giving Auburn its first runs of the season. Her third-inning triple was not only the first of her career but also marked her first multi-hit and multi-RBI game as a Tiger.
Senior Destiny Rodriguez also made an immediate impact in her Auburn debut, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Kylie Brockman chipped in an RBI single during Auburn’s third-inning rally, which briefly cut the deficit to one.
That rally was the high point for the Tigers. After stranding five runners through the first two innings, Auburn finally broke through in the third.
Freshman Haven Roebuck drew a walk and moved into scoring position on a single by sophomore Kylie Shaw-who notched her first collegiate hit. Stroud followed with a base-clearing triple to right, and Brockman’s single made it a 4-3 game.
But just as quickly as momentum swung Auburn’s way, it slipped through their fingers.
The defensive issues returned in the bottom half of the third and continued into the fourth. Three more errors allowed North Florida to extend the lead and ultimately enforce the run rule.
In the circle, freshman Abby Herndon made her collegiate debut as the starter, going 2.1 innings with two strikeouts. She was followed by Ella Harrison, another freshman making her debut, who struck out two in 1.2 innings of relief.
Thursday’s game also marked a milestone for several Tigers making their first starts. Roebuck (3B), Shaw (RF), Stroud (DP), and Herndon (P) all earned their first career starts, while McKaela Walker (LF), Rodriguez (2B), and Alyssa Hastings (SS) made their first starts in Auburn uniforms.
Hastings, a transfer with a strong plate presence, extended her on-base streak to 35 consecutive games with a walk in the third inning-an impressive carryover from her 2025 campaign. Meanwhile, Walker showed patience at the plate, drawing a career-high three walks.
What’s Next
Auburn won’t have much time to dwell on the loss. The Tigers continue their Florida road trip with five games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater.
They’ll face Notre Dame and Michigan State on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.
Both games will be streamed for free on GameChanger.
After the tournament, Auburn returns home for Opening Weekend on the Plains, hosting the War Eagle Classic from Feb. 12-15.
The Tigers will kick off the event against Illinois and will honor the late Mike “Helmet Guy” Cooper in Thursday’s opener. Fans in attendance can pick up commemorative mini-helmets while supplies last.
Bottom Line
This wasn’t the start Auburn envisioned, but it’s far from the end of the story. The Tigers are young, and Thursday’s opener was a reminder that early-season growing pains are part of the process. There’s talent on this roster, and if they can clean up the defensive miscues and build on the offensive flashes we saw from Stroud, Rodriguez, and others, they’ll have every chance to bounce back in Clearwater.