SALISBURY, N.C. – The Augusta University baseball team lost a pair of non-conference games against the Catawba Indians on Saturday in a non-conference doubleheader at historic Newman Park.
Augusta (14-17) led 6-0 over Catawba (25-9) in game one, but gave up seven late runs to fall 7-6, before dropping game two 11-2.
AU senior Tristan Jones made his ninth start of the season in game one and went 5.1 innings with six strikeouts. He allowed three runs on seven hits.
Senior Clint Hardy homered in the top of the third inning with senior Cody Lanford on base to give Augusta a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, Will Zimmer, Brent Alford, and Tyler Roberts blasted doubles and a failed pickoff attempt put the Jags up 6-0.
The Indians cut the score in half in the sixth to make it 6-3. Senior Cody Pugh relieved Jones on the mound and gave up two runs on two hits. Down 6-5, Catawba stole a 7-6 score in the seventh when Chance Bowden hit a two-run home run.
Right-handed pitcher Casey Lenoch gave up two runs on one hit in 1.2 innings to get the loss for Augusta.
Sophomore Will Zimmer was 3-4 with a run for the Jags in game one and Hardy had two RBI on two hits as Augusta totaled nine hits to Catawba's 11. Jeremy Simpson, Kyle Smith, Chance Bowden, and Malachai Hanes each had two hits for the Indians in the first game.
Russ Welker pitched the first meeting for the Indians and logged six innings to allow eight hits for six runs (three earned). Connor Johnson grabbed the win in 1.2 innings of work.
Catawba booked an early lead and never let down in the 11-2 seven-inning victory.
Lefty Matthew Kuhlenberg (1-3) pitched 3.1 in the game-two start for Augusta and allowed eight hits for six runs. Chase Slone struck out four in his 2.2 innings while surrendering five runs (one earned) on two hits.
Newman Park has been home to the Catawba College Indians since 1926, with the grandstand being erected in 1934. The ballpark seats approximately 2,500 fans and is the third oldest in the state of North Carolina that is still in operation.
The Jaguars return to Newman Park on Sunday, April 2 for a 1:00 p.m. single game against the Indians to wrap the series.
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