AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta State outhit UNC Pembroke 12-to-8 but fell in game one 7-5 before dropping the sequel 10-6 on Jaguar Field in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon.
Hunter Boose singled and Kevin Dodson doubled in the right-center gap to put men on second and third for ASU (10-36, 3-23) in game one. Seth Foster walked and an infield error scored two Jaguars for a 2-0 lead in the second off UNCP (35-14, 18-11) starter Connor Pratt. Pratt tossed 6.1 innings, surrendering four runs (two earned) on nine hits and striking out three, before Brandon Estrain (2-0) relieved and got the win in 2.2 innings.
The Braves loaded the bases on ASU starter Josh Barks in the third and an infield throwing error and fielder's choice gave UNCP a 3-2 lead. The Jags drew three walks to load the bases and Boose evened things with a single. Dodson gave the Jags the lead on a groundball, but a UNCP high chopper into right field evened the game at 4-4 in the next inning.
UNCP's Zade Denton knocked a three-run homer to left field for a 7-4 lead. The Braves took game 7-5 after JD Sabo knocked a solo homer. Barks (0-4) got the ASU loss in 8.0 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and dealing three strikeouts. Boose went 4-for-5 and Dodson was 2-for-3 for ASU, while Denton was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs and Drew Alford was 2-for-4 with a run for the Braves.
A wild pitch and sac fly plated two Braves for a 2-0 lead in top of the fourth of game two. Back-to-back Braves singles put men on for Alford, who RBI-singled. Two more hits gave the Braves a 4-0 lead, but the Jags plated their first run on Dodson's single to score Sabo. UNCP scored two before the Jags got one back on a sac fly.
ASU loaded the bases and took a walk in the seventh and in the eighth Boose homered for a 7-4 score. Two UNCP wild pitches gave ASU two runs for a one-run game, but the Braves scored three in the ninth to sweep the series with a 10-6 win.
Kip Custer (5-6) got the loss in 6.2 innings, allowing eleven hits for six runs and dealing three strikeouts. Jamie Suggs and David Bermudez also pitched for ASU each giving up two runs. Jordan DeLoatch (5-2) earned the win for the Braves in 6.1 innings, giving up five hits for three runs and throwing two strikeouts. Brett Huffman went 3-for-4 and Ben Schmucker was 3-for-5 for UNCP. Nate Crown was 2-for-3 in game two and Boose and Sabo each homered.
The Jags wrap up the series with the Braves in a single game tomorrow on Saturday, April 27 at 12:00 p.m.