Jaguar softball wins doubleheader at home but drops two games on road
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
The Augusta University softball team won two out of four games this past weekend, winning a doubleheader at home against Francis Marion on Saturday, Feb 12., but both ends of a doubleheader at Anderson on Sunday, Feb. 13.
The Jaguars won by scores of 10-5 and 3-1 against Francis Marion and then would lose 11-0 and 10-2 at Anderson.
The Saturday opener against Francis Marion featured AU junior Mary Tillman against Casey Kurent for the Patriots.
With three early errors by the Patriots, AU went ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning.
Junior Savana Rosson put the Patriots on the board with a solo home run in the top of the fourth, making the score 3-1.
AU racked up five more runs off six hits in the bottom of the fourth, extending the Jaguars’ lead to 8-1. Senior Olivia Biles brought in two runs with a single. Freshmen Kali Garrett and Bailee Roberts each drove in a run with a single.
Senior Danielle Karacson hit a three-run homer in the top of fifth inning to help decrease the Jags’ lead to 8-4.
Biles brought in another run in the fifth inning, helping the Jaguars maintain the lead and get the win.
Tillman finished with five strikeouts, giving up five runs in sevens innings pitched. Biles led the Jaguars, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
The second game against the Patriots was a lower scoring affair with AU freshman Maggie McBrayer against Francis Marion senior Janecia Hemingway.
McBrayer held the Patriots hitless until the third inning on a single by Patriots’ graduate student Ashtyn Patterson. Francis Marion took a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly, bringing in graduate Najah Gerrald.
Roberts tied the game in the bottom half of the third inning with an RBI single.
Senior Emma Seagrave helped the Jags secure the win the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-RBI single. Roberts and Seagrave both led the Jaguars with two hits.
AU Coach Melissa Brocato said she was pleased with the team’s effort and happy to get the win.
“I am super proud; it was definitely a team effort today,” she said. “They showed how to fight today, so that’s a good thing. Now we just need to tweak a couple things on how we respond when things don’t go our way.”
McBrayer pitched seven innings, only giving up two hits and one run in the win.
“The first two, I was kind of nervous and down on myself for not pitching as good as I can, and then I went to work at practice and fixed what I needed to fix mentally,” said McBrayer.
Brocato also spoke on McBrayer’s performance after the game.
“I think she’s always had this in her,” Brocato said. “I think it’s just a matter of needing to settle down.”
Sunday would be a different ballgame for the Jaguars as they went up against a hot 11-1 Anderson team.
Tillman pitched the opener for the Jags against Harlie Duncan for the Trojans.
The Trojans got out to an early lead with two RBIs coming on a single by Oliva Wheeler. Kayson Boatner extended the Trojans’ lead to 7-0 with a two-run homer in the second inning.
Yas Laureano ended the Jaguars’ chances with a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth inning, leading the Trojans to the 11-0 win.
Duncan finished with three strikeouts, only giving up three hits in her shutout win over the Jaguars.
The finale would be similar as the Trojans got off to an early 7-0 lead. Boatner was a key piece to the early lead, hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the second inning.
Roberts put the Jaguars on the board with a two-run double in the top of the sixth inning.
Boatner had herself a game, hitting another home run, this time a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, leading the Trojans to the 10-2 win. Boatner finished with two homers and seven RBIs in the win.
Anderson’s Laken Maxwell moved to 6-0 on the season, finishing with five strikeouts and only giving up two runs off four hits.
AU’s next outing will be a doubleheader on the road against Erskine College on Thursday, Feb. 17. Game One will be at 1 p.m., followed by Game Two at 3 p.m. The Jaguars’ next home game will be a doubleheader against Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday, Feb. 19.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
AU’s Jakayla Sullivan prepares to swing against Francis Marion. At the top of the page, Jaguar pitcher Maggie McBrayer threw a two-hitter in a 3-1 win over Francis Marion. (photos by Chris Rickerson)
