Jaguar baseball swept by West Georgia Wolves in season-opening series
By Shelbie Summerlin | Sports editor
The Augusta University baseball team lost in all three games against the West Georgia Wolves this past weekend.
The Jaguars lost 5-3 in Friday’s (Feb. 2) season opener at the AU baseball field and dropped both games in Saturday’s doubleheader by scores of 8-6 and 8-2.
In Friday’s game against the Wolves, Augusta’s Robert Hunt took the loss after allowing two runs off four hits in one and a third innings tossed. Mason Bernard, the right-hander from Lilburn, had started and allowed just two runs in five innings pitched. Bernard struck out four and walked none.
Dylan Wanat, Brady Loughren and an error from the Wolves’ defense were responsible for the Jaguars’ only three runs. Wanat scored Kyle Lodise on an RBI groundout in the first inning, and Lodise scored on an error by West Georgia’s pitcher in the third inning.
Loughren slammed a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth when AU was down 5-2 to try and stir up a comeback win for the Jaguars but to no avail, making the final score 5-3.
In Saturday's first game of the doubleheader, Will Cantrell was the pitcher that took the loss for Augusta. He pitched five innings and allowed two runs on three hits.
Koby Ayala and Wanat led the Augusta offense with two hits and two RBIs each. Loughren went yard again in the series for the Jaguars in the third inning. Sam Ladner and Walt McConnell homered for the Wolves.
Grayson Hopkins took the loss for Augusta in the third and final game of the series. He went three innings and allowed four runs on three hits.
The Jaguars’ offense could only muster two runs from four hits in the finale. Luke Hatcher homered for West Georgia.
Augusta will look to bounce back when it hosts Erskine College on Tuesday, Feb. 6. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at the Jaguar baseball field.
Softball pounds out four homers in loss to FMU
After sweeping Claflin on Friday, Feb. 2, the Jaguar softball team lost 14-10 to undefeated Francis Marion University.
AU (3-2) had home runs from Paige Patterson, Bailee Roberts, Cadance Winder and Nevaeh Ross, who had a three-run blast. Patterson, Roberts and Winder all hit two-run shots.
But it was not enough as the Patriots got a three-homer day from Taylor Watford, who finished with six RBI. Katie Smith added three hits and three RBI for FMU (3-0).
The Jaguars will play at Chowan on Feb. 10 and Barton on Feb. 11.
Contact Shelbie Summerlin at ssummerlin@augusta.edu.
AU’s Parker Ingram (10) gets a single against West Georgia in Friday’s 5-3 Wolves’ win. At the top of the page, right-hander Mason Bernard (34) got the start for the Jaguars in the season opener, and he pitched five innings and allowed just two runs. (photos by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
