AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta State earned a twin bill split with the North Georgia Saints Saturday afternoon in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader, taking game one 15-4 and dropping the second affair 12-3 at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
ASU (9-12, 3-5 in PBC) notched 17 hits in game one to help starting pitcher Kip Custer (2-0). Custer went 8.2 innings and gave up 10 hits for four runs, with two strikeouts. UNG's Taylor Keinat went 4.1 innings of work, before he was relieved by Chip Fleming and Tim Hernandez.
Tied 1-1 going in to second, the Jaguars blew it open by adding 14 unanswered runs until the ninth inning with numerous batters contributing to the blowout. Junior JD Sabo went 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI while Jeff Rice also went 3-for-5 with a run and RBI. Freshman Hunter Boose notched two hits for four RBIs and junior Kevin Dodson and freshman Justin Mee each had two hits and an RBI. The Saints' three runs in the ninth inning were not enough to overcome the deficit as UNG fell 15-4.
Junior slinger Clint Echols (0-3) started game two for the Jags, until he got in trouble early and was relieved by senior Josh Barks. Echols went 2.2 innings to give up two hits for four runs and walking seven. Barks pitched 4.1 innings for six and four runs before Dalton Reed and Tyler Ross relieved for an inning each.
UNG took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and never let it go, adding 11 more runs to the Jags' three. The Saints' bullpen relied on starter Clint Spratlin and Brandon Agar. Agar got the win in 5.1 innings, allowing three hits for one run and striking out five.
ASU's Nathan Crown and Mee each compiled two hits, with Crown earning an RBI. ASU wraps up the weekend series against North Georgia tomorrow, March 10 for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch at LOS.