Jaguars’ baseball, softball swept in conference series matchups
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
The Augusta University baseball and softball teams were both swept in their Peach Belt Conference series over the weekend.
The AU baseball team hosted Young Harris College, and the Jaguars (0-6, 7-13) lost 13-3, 10-6 and 13-8.
After the first game was suspended due to weather on Saturday, March 12, the Jaguars would finish that contest the following day and play the other two games of the series as well.
The opener would be close early, with Young Harris ahead 6-3 through five innings. The Mountain Lions extended their lead in the sixth inning, scoring seven runs to get the lopsided win.
In the second game, Young Harris pitcher Travis Burnette held the Jaguars scoreless through seven innings. He also had help from his offense with the Mountain Lions ahead 9-0 until the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Jaguars had a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth, scoring five runs off six hits, but it would not be enough to get the win.
Burnette finished with 11 strikeouts, pitching the entire nine-inning game. Mark Castle led the Mountain Lions’ batting with three hits and five RBIs.
The third game would come down to the wire, as both teams were tied 8-8 going into the seventh inning.
Young Harris went on to score five runs in the seventh off three hits to give the Mountain Lions the win.
AU softball (0-6, 11-15) lost all three games of their series by scores of 5-3, 9-1 and 9-2.
The opener would be tight late 2-1 after a solo homer from Jakayla Sullivan in the top of the fifth inning, but the Nighthawks answer with three more runs.
The Jaguars made a run late, scoring two runs in the seventh, but it wouldn’t be enough to get the win.
In the second game, Delaney Heaberlin pitched a five-inning two-hitter for the Nighthawks. Heaberlin also had five strikeouts as well. Her offense poured on six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to help her secure the win.
The finale would be similar as North Georgia starting pitcher Kristen Davis only allowed three hits in her five innings pitched.
With the Nighthawks only ahead 4-2 in the sixth inning, they would add on five more runs, one being a three-run homer by Madison Simmons, to extend their lead to 9-2. Heaberlin closed out the Jaguars in the final inning and got the save.
The next game for AU baseball will be a non-conference home game against Newberry College on Wednesday, March 16, at Jaguar Field.
AU softball will host a three-game conference series with Flagler College this upcoming weekend at Jaguar Field. The Jaguars will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 19, with the games scheduled to start at noon and 2 p.m. The finale of the series will be the following day at noon.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
AU softball coach Melissa Brocato, Paige Patterson (6) and Olivia Biles (8), along with Jakayla Sullivan (behind Biles), huddle during a break in the action. At the top of the page, Trevor Maddox bats for the AU baseball team, which lost all three games at home against Young Harris. Maddox hit three hits in the series, including a double. (photos by Chris Rickerson)
