AU baseball struggles on the road, losing series at North Georgia

By Chris Rickerson | Sports writer

The Augusta University baseball team lost all three games in a series at North Georgia last weekend. Game One was played Friday night, March 12, with UNG winning 10-5, and the Nighthawks won both games on Saturday, March 13.

“The road games are always tough in the Peach Belt, but you really got to simplify what it is and it’s just another ballgame,” said AU Coach Chris Howell. “We just got to do the little things and get ourselves in a ballgame and compete.”

Game One would be close until the Nighthawks had a six-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Benjamin Koch came into the game to pitch for Noah Fritz in the sixth inning when the Nighthawks had a runner on second and third. Will Hardigree singled and brought in both runners. The Nighthawks would also have a two-run home run by Jake Arnold in this inning. The Jaguars could not get their bats going and lost 10-5. 

Game Two on Saturday was another tough loss for the Jaguars. They would struggle offensively early and would not score until the fourth inning. Augusta tried to get it going late with a home run by senior Skylor Murphy and another one by junior Ben Markiewicz in the eighth inning. It would be too late, and the Jaguars lost 7-3. 

Sophomore Will Cantrell started on the mound for the Jaguars for Game Three, and Cantrell held the Nighthawks scoreless through three innings and struck out four batters. 

Cantrell had a tough fourth inning giving up six runs, one being a two-run home run by Jake Arnold.

The Jaguars would try to get going as senior Jose Nogueras hit a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning. Trent Maddox would also hit a sacrifice fly bringing in Ben Markiewicz in the sixth inning. Augusta would not score again and would lose the game 7-3. 

“We have to eliminate the big inning and throw the first punch and be more aggressive from first pitch,” said coach Howell. “Our team fights from behind and they don’t quit, we just need to eliminate those big innings for the other team.”

Augusta’s game against Emmanuel schedule for Tuesday, March 16, was canceled due to the weather.

Augusta (1-8, 2-9) will host its next series against Francis Marion (6-6, 8-6) Friday, March 19, at 2 p.m. The Jaguars will play a doubleheader against the Patriots the following day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.