ST. AUGUSTINE – The Flagler College softball team dropped a pair of Peach Belt Conference games on Sunday (March 15) afternoon against GRU Augusta. The Jaguars took game one in 11 innings, 7-5, and completed the sweep with a 14-5 victory in game two.
The Saints dropped to 7-22 overall, and 0-6 in PBC play, as the Jaguars improved to 15-3 and 3-1 in conference action with the wins.
The second game saw nine errors between the two teams, with six coming from Flagler. The Jaguars scored two runs quick in the first inning, and eventually stretched their lead to 11-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Saints rallied back from the brink of a run rule though, scoring five runs in the bottom of the inning.
Malloree Escue got things started for Flagler, reaching on a fielding error by the Jaguars' shortstop.
Maddy Murphy stepped up for the Saints next and scored Escue on a single up the middle. Flagler put together five runs on three hits and three errors to stay alive for the seventh inning.
GRU Augusta pushed across three more runs in the top of the final frame with the help of a two-run home run from Hannah Wilson, and despite a leadoff double from Murphy the Saints were held scoreless in the bottom half of the inning, giving the Jaguars the sweep.
The Saints split the work in the circle between the starter,
Haleigh Corbally (2-4),
Rachel Hudson and
Erin Anderson. Haley Birkle (7-2) got the win for GRU Augusta, throwing for seven innings of work, while Kristen Mills came in in the bottom of the sixth to face two batters.
Murphy led the offensive charge for the Saints in game two with a 2-for-4 day, and
Mackenzie Conley added another two hits to the losing effort. Ashley Benton was perfect at the plate for the Jaguars going 4-for-4 with four RBI.
In game one, the Saints had a 5-1 lead going into the top of the seventh, but the Jaguars fought from behind to send the game into extra innings.
With the ballgame tied at one run apiece, the Flagler offense surged to a four-run third inning. Conley singled for a RBI, while Escue knocked the ball over the left field fence for a three-run home run, giving the Saints the edge. However, the Jaguars weren't ready for the game to be over as they tied the game again in the seventh inning with five very timely hits.
The first three extra innings saw little offensive action, with only three hits from both sides through the 10th inning. Mallory Ferguson was the hero for the Jaguars, coming up with a two-run home run to right center to win the game for GRU Augusta.
Paige Deschaine (8-1) tossed a complete game for the Jaguars, sitting down 13 Flagler batters.
Katelynn Smith got the start for the Saints and threw the first seven innings, while
Tinsley Smith (2-7) came in to pitch the extra innings, surrendering the game-winning hit.
Conley and Escue both went yard, and
Lauren Roudabush added two singles to the Saints offense. GRU Augusta was led by Hannah Wilson and Brooke Stephens who tallied three hits apiece.
Flagler will look to rebound on the road as the Saints head to Young Harris, Ga., on Wednesday for a midweek doubleheader with Young Harris at the E.D. Rivers Softball Field at 3 p.m.
