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AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta University softball team hosted Erskine College on Thursday afternoon at Jaguar Field and won 4-2 and 6-5 to sweep the non-conference doubleheader.
The games moved Augusta to 7-17 and Erskine to 9-11 on the season.
AU's doubleheader against Georgia Southwestern scheduled for March 17, has been postponed to March 30 due to expected inclement weather. Next up, the Jags host Columbus State on Sunday, March 18 for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader. AU wraps its homestand on Wednesday, March 21 with a 2:00 p.m. non-conference doubleheader against Claflin.
GAME 1
The score danced back and forth at the start of the game, with Erskine scoring a pair in the top of the first and AU three to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning. The Jaguars scored on an outfield error, before sophomore Lydia Hausman blasted a two-run double off the leftfield wall to plate seniors Lindsey Stokes and Auburn Balcorta. AU went on to win 4-2 for their first home win of 2018.
AU sophomore Morgan Hunter (5-8) recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in game one and got the win in her sixth complete-game performance of the season. Hunter only allowed six hits and the two runs that scored were unearned.
Hausman went 1-for-3 with two RBI and senior Carolyn Edwards, Ashley Boyd, Kendyl Connor, and freshman Bell Fernandez each had a lone hit.
The Flying Fleet outhit Augusta 6-5, but had three errors in the field.
GAME 2
The first six innings all had scoring occur in a hard fought game. Erskine etched across two runs in their first at bat and got back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the first to keep the bases loaded for Augusta.
Conner drew a leadoff walk to start AU's at bat in the second inning and Stokes drove her in with a liner to right field. Senior Auburn Balcorta blasted a double to score junior Savannah Gabriel and tie the game at 2-2.
Erskine stole a 3-2 lead in the third inning and scored an unearned run in the fourth to boost the lead, but AU carded three in the fifth to retake a 5-4 advantage. After the Fleet managed a game-tying run in the sixth, Edwards delivered an RBI single to left field to score Stokes and the Jags won 6-5 with Hunter coming in to close it out on the mound.
Augusta sophomore pitcher Courtney Browne came in to relieve sophomore Jada Jackson in the first inning of the second game after she gave up three hits for two quick runs. Hunter entered the game in the top of the seventh and got her second win of the day.
Balcorta was 3-for-3 for AU and Edwards 2-for-3.
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