Auburn softball lives to fight another day in the 2023 NCAA Softball Championship.

Tiger starting pitcher Shelby Lowe took a perfect game through five innings, guiding Auburn to a 5-0 victory in an elimination game against Cal State Fullerton at McWorther Stadium in the Clemson regional. Lowe pitched a complete game shutout. The final out marked her seventh strikeout.

Lowe didn’t allow a baserunner until Evelyn Sabla, who plays second base for the Titans, hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the sixth. Lowe worked out of a challenging situation when the Titans had runners on first and third with one out.

Lowe pitched seven innings and scattered three hits with no walks against seven strikeouts.

Auburn went to the losers’ bracket after a Saturday afternoon 7-0 loss against Clemson and overcame a rain delay to get a rematch at 11 am CT against Clemson.

Beating the Titans gives Auburn a chance to avenge the defeat against Clemson in a game that would decide which team advances to super-regional action.

A nearly two-hour rain delay started in the fourth inning, with the Tigers holding a 1-0 advantage. Auburn left fielder Lindsey Garcia drew a bases-loaded walk during the first inning to score the first Tigers run.

2B Rose Roach drove in two runners on a two-out single to right field in the fourth frame. Abbey Smith had an RBI base hit in the fifth. Rightfielder Icess Tresvik scored the fifth run for Auburn on Titan starting pitcher Myka Sutherl’s wild pitch.

Sutherl allowed six hits, five runs, and nine walks over 5 1/3 innings. She also struck out four Tigers in the season-ending loss. Lowe won her sixth game this season and got her first complete game shutout in the elimination game win.

The Tigers started their day at McWhorter Stadium in the morning and didn’t leave the ballpark until after 11 pm eastern time. They’ll have to rest quickly to be ready for Sunday’s early start.

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group