AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta State used a five-run eighth inning to take a 12-7 non-conference win in game one of the Outback Cup against No. 4 USC Aiken Wednesday night at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
With an engaged crowd cheering every tense moment on, Justin Appel knocked a one-out single to short. Preston Pye pinch-ran for Appel, moving the second on Kevin Dodson's walk. Ross Miles then hit a chopper to short, and a hurried throw for the force at third sailed wide, bringing Pye home for the go-ahead run.
But ASU wasn't done. Curtis Parker was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Caleb Saggus drew an RBI walk. Clay Tucker was hit by a pitch to bring home another run. Seth Foster hit an RBI single, and a throwing error by the pitcher brought home the Jags final run to make it a five run cushion for an easy ninth inning.
The win snapped a six-game losing skid to the Pacers, and marks the Jaguars' first win over a top-five ranked opponent since May 9, 2009.
The Jaguars struck first in the back-and-forth affair, getting a run in the first on Brac Barton's sacrifice fly. ASU got another in the second and third to go up 3-0 thanks to Tucker's RBI single and Dodson's bases-loaded walk.
The Pacers struck for five in the top of the fifth, aided by two Augusta State errors that brought four unearned runs across the plate and highlighted by Bill Gerstenslager's double down the right field line.
But ASU fought back, responding with two in the bottom part of the inning. Brac Barton singled to right and moved to second on a wild pitch. Justin Appel walked. A pass ball moved both runners up 90 feet. Ross Miles put down a bunt single to load the bases, and walks by Matt Smith and Caleb Saggus knotted it up at 5-5.
The teams traded two runs in the seventh, ASU's coming on a wild suicide squeeze by Smith that found open space and brought both Kevin Dodson and Miles home and set up the eighth inning.
Chase Johnston (3-0) got the win in relief for the Jaguars, hurling 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball. Tyler Grover (0-2) took the loss for the Pacers after giving up the first two runs in the eighth.
Saggus led the Jags with a 3-for-4 night, knocking home two and scoring once. Gerstenslager's 3-for-5 outing with three RBI led the Pacers.
ASU returns to the diamond hoping to build on the momentum when they host Georgia Southwestern in a Peach Belt Conference set beginning with a doubleheader Saturday, March 31 at 1:00 p.m. at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
