AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sunday was a new day for the Saints.
After coming up short in game one of the three-game series the afternoon before, the Flagler College softball team bounced back in a big way as the Saints won both Peach Belt Conference games versus Augusta University at Jaguar Field. Flagler opened with an 8-6 victory before topping it off with a 9-5 win to seal the series win.
The Saints (15-12, 3-3 PBC) now will have four days off before Lander University comes to Flagler Field for a three-game series, beginning Friday at 4 p.m., while Augusta (12-17, 1-8) heads to Columbus State University to continue PBC play alike the Saints.
Flagler's bats heated up, scoring 17 runs on 20 hits as the Saints saw four multi-run innings and four home runs over 14 innings. In the circle,
Rachel Hester (W, 7-5) was responsible for both victories as she relieved
Madelyn Wise in the first game in the fourth inning before tossing the complete game in the final game.
GAME ONE
This one was a back-and-forth affair. After
Paige Maseda's RBI-single scored
Valerie Beltre in the first inning, Augusta matched the score in the bottom half; however, that tie didn't stay long thanks to
Alyssa Velez. The senior shortstop gave the Saints the lead back with her bases-clearing, grand slam to make it 5-1 Saints. Flagler held the lead until the fourth as Hester limited the damage to one run after she replaced Wise with two on and one out, bringing the score to 5-all. Hester then got the Saints out of a jam again — after a pair of outfield errors propelled the Jaguars into the lead — as she limited the Jags to the one-run lead.
Down one run heading into the seventh, the Saints posted a three-run frame as
Ari Bosch doubled in the first run, scoring Maseda (double), while
Mercedes Salinas scored the game-winning, two-RBI single that plated
Alyssa Velez (walk) and Bosch to put Flagler ahead for good, 8-6. Hester closed out the win as she allowed one run on four hits and struck out five over 3.2 innings pitched to outlast Maggie McBrayer (L, 4-8).
Four Saints — Maseda, Bosch, Salinas and
Trinity Fry — had two hits as Velez led the Saints with four RBI and Maseda had a pair of walks.
GAME TWO
Over the first four innings, Flagler saw three solo home runs exit Jaguar Field as Velez roped out her second of the day, while
Kyleigh Taylor and
Ari Bosch each had one in the fourth. It was a 3-0 lead the Saints would never lose as the Jaguars scored one in the fourth before Flagler tacked on a six-run frame in the seventh.
Seven Saints had an at-bat before Augusta could register an out as
Olivia Parker began the inning with a double and ended with an RBI single from the freshman first baseman. Parker was one of three Saints with two hits as Velez and Bosch joined her; meanwhile, Taylor got back on track with three hits and an RBI. Beltre,
Courtney Robinson and Maseda all had a walk, while Parker had two.
With two outs in the seventh, Augusta attempted a come-from-behind attempt after an error extended the inning and four runs followed on four hits. Outside of that, Hester was nearly flawless as she allowed one earned run on eight hits through seven innings, while striking out five to zero walks.
Be the first to know what's going on with the Saints -- Follow @FlaglerSports on Twitter, follow FlaglerSports on Instagram, become a fan of Flagler College Athletics on Facebook and subscribe to the Flagler College Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with Flagler Athletics.
