COLUMBUS, Ga. – Augusta State dropped two Peach Belt Conference games at Columbus State 9-2 and 14-5 Sunday afternoon to give the Cougars a three-game weekend series sweep.
CSU (6-7, 3-3 in PBC) outhit the Jaguars (5-10, 3-3) 33-to-13 on Ragsdale Field during day two of play, despite ASU taking an early lead in each game.
ASU junior JD Sabo homered to start game two off of Cougars starter Jake Ezell (1-3). Ezell went 3.1 innings to allow five hits for three runs, while Jordan Villhauer relieved him in 3.2 innings for four hits and two runs. Jags junior Clint Echols went 4.1 innings in the start – giving up seven hits for five runs.
Tied 3-3 in the fifth, CSU notched three runs from an RBI-single and two-run homer off of ASU reliever David Bermudez. Bermudez went 1.2 innings, allowing eight hits for five runs.
The Jags closed the gap to 6-5 in the sixth – scoring on two infield errors and a sacrifice fly from freshman Hunter Boose. CSU blew it open in the sixth and seventh by adding eight more for a 14-5 victory.
The Jags jumped on the Cougars' left-hander Brodie Leibrandt in the first inning of game one for a 2-0 lead. Leibrandt (1-0) gave up a double to Sabo to lead off the game and one batter later junior Jeff Rice hit a two-run homerun to left field.
Leibrandt allowed four hits in his 9.0 innings – striking out eight and giving up three runs. ASU senior righty Josh Barks (0-2) went 5.2 innings to strike out five and give up eleven hits for seven runs, before senior Dylan Wall relieved him in 0.2 innings.
ASU gave up three in the fourth off two singles and a throw down attempt to second. Jackson Oliver led off the sixth for CSU with a single and Jimmy Obermark doubled to score Oliver. Obermark took third on an ASU throwing error and Dustin Averett hit an RBI-single to center, before Ryan Lewis RBI-doubled for a 7-2 lead.
Sabo went 4-for-5 on the day with two runs and two RBIs, while Rice was 2-for-9 with two RBIs and a run. Junior Kevin Dodson went 3-for-4 in game two and freshman Justin Mee was 2-for-4 with a run.
The Jags will play a non-conference single game at Newberry in Smith Road Complex on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 5:00 p.m.