AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta State broke a 1-all tie with five runs in the sixth inning Tuesday afternoon and claimed a 6-3 non-conference victory over Newberry at Jaguar Field.
The win lifted ASU to 21-28 on the season, while the Wolves dropped to 24-28 overall. The contest marked the end of the Jaguars' regular-season schedule and was the last home appearance for seven ASU seniors.
Jags' junior outfielder Caleb Saggus accounted for four of the runs by himself. He reached on a bunt single in the bottom of the first, advanced to second on a failed pickoff, stole third and scored on a wild pitch. His stolen base raised his Peach Belt Conference-leading total to 45, just five steals shy of establishing a new school record.
Newberry pulled even in the fifth when Wilbur Caldwell singled and scored on a Chris Love RBI-single to left.
Senior first baseman Tristan Toorie opened the sixth with a fly ball that Newberry rightfielder Keke Wadsworth dropped for a two-base error. Curtis Parker laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit before Jeff Rice lined a single down the leftfield line to plate Toorie.
After a pitching change, senior centerfielder Alex Walker delivered an RBI-single to left. Following walks to Mike Smith and senior catcher Casey Hanrahan and a second pitching change, Saggus lined a three-run triple off the rightfield fence to chase home Walker, Smith and Hanrahan.
The Wolves combined two hits and three walks in the top of the ninth into a pair of runs for the final margin.
Six ASU pitchers saw action and sophomore righthander Aaron Lewis (1-0) earned his first win of the season with 2.0 innings of relief.
The Jags will return to action on Sunday, May 8 in the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Championships in Columbus, Ga. ASU will be the West Division's No. 4 seed and will face the East Division's top seed and PBC regular-season champion Francis Marion. The game time has not yet been determined.