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SALISBURY, N.C. – The Augusta University softball team played a non-conference doubleheader at Catawba College on Saturday afternoon to start the 2018 season and shut out the Indians 6-0 in game one, before giving up two runs in the seventh inning of game two to lose 4-3.
Augusta is now 1-1 on the season with the non-conference split. Augusta hosts Erskine College on Thursday, Feb. 8 for the 2018 home opener at Jaguar Field. The non-conference doubleheader begins at 1:00 p.m. and admission is free to all.
GAME 1
Sophomore Morgan Hunter earned the day-one start for the Jags and held the Indians scoreless in her complete-game outing.
At the plate, junior Savannah Gabriel was 2-for-4 in her Jaguar debut, while rookie Bella Fernandez, senior Lindsey Stokes, and junior Kelsea Hunter also added a pair of hits. Augusta had 11 hits total and held Catawba to seven.
AU senior Ashley Boyd reached base on a single in the second inning and senior Auburn Balcorta brought her home with a double to the outfield. The lead strengthened in the fourth inning when AU scored five runs for a 6-0 advantage. Boyd, Alexis Schlein, Hunter, and Lindsey Stokes all knocked hits in the big inning to boost the Jaguars.
Catawba slinger Brooke Walser tossed 3.0 innings in the start and gave up eight hits for four runs, as Augusta won 6-0.
GAME 2
The Jaguars jumped ahead in game two with two runs in the second inning when Hunter scored Auburn Balcorta with a single. Senior Carolyn Edwards drew a bases-loaded walk as AU took a 2-0 advantage.
Catawba's Jordan Dean hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game. In the top of the sixth, a Catawba error allowed the Jaguars to a 3-2 lead, but the Indians carded two runs in their final at bat to steal a 4-2 win.
Sophomore Courtney Browne made her first start of the year and pitched 6.1 innings and struck out four while allowing eight hits for four runs (three earned).
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