Tillman, Patterson help Jaguars knock off undefeated Belmont Abbey
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
Mary Tillman’s 13 strikeouts and Paige Patterson’s two homers led Augusta University’s softball team to a 4-3 victory over undefeated Belmont Abbey on Saturday, Feb. 26, at Jaguar Field.
The Jaguars (9-9) would defeat Belmont Abbey in the opener, but lost the second game of the doubleheader 13-1.
Tillman faced off on the mound against Abby Craver for Belmont Abbey in Game One.
Tillman struck out the first nine batters she faced in the Crusaders lineup, pitching a perfect game through three innings. She would not give up a hit until the top of the fifth inning.
Patterson put the Jaguars on the board first with solo homer in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Jaguars added another run in the bottom of the fifth with a single by Summer Frye, scoring Jakayla Sullivan to make the score 2-0.
Mackenzie Sprinkle gave the Crusaders their first run in the sixth inning with a solo homer.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Jaguars would get the run right back with a sacrifice fly by Sullivan, scoring Grace Bridges.
Craver, who although she was the starting pitcher also hit for the Crusaders, tied the game 3-3 with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning.
Alannah Brow came in for Craver in the bottom of the seventh inning. The first batter she faced would be Patterson, who would end the game with a walk-off homer by a score of 4-3.
“It felt really good,” said Patterson. “It felt good to save the team and get that win.”
Patterson led the Jaguars going 3-for-4 with two home runs. Tillman pitched all seven innings for the Jaguars, finishing with 13 strikeouts and giving up only four hits.
“It feels great to help my team out and get a lot of strikeouts,” said Tillman.
Tillman also said she was grateful for her team’s bats in the win.
“It so great to have that because in the seventh inning, it got kind of tight there and it was great to see Paige come up and hit that walk-off home run,” she said.
The second game would be a different story for the Jaguars.
AU’s Maggie McBrayer started on the mound against Sadie Lee for Belmont Abbey.
Sydney Pon started the Crusaders off with a grand slam in the top of the third inning. Cameron Coop added four more runs, hitting another grand slam for the Crusaders in the top of the fourth inning, making the score 8-0.
Shelbie Summerlin gave the Jaguars there one run in the fourth inning with an RBI double.
Belmont Abbey (13-1) ended the game in the fifth inning, scoring five more runs off three hits.
Augusta’s next game will be at home against Emmanuel College (14-5) on Wednesday, March 2. The first game will be at 1 p.m., followed by the second contest at 3 p.m.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
Mary Tillman struck out 13 as the Jaguar softball team defeated previously unbeaten Belmont Abbey 4-3. At the top of the page, Paige Patterson gets a hit for AU; Patterson had two homers in the game. (photos by Chris Rickerson)
