AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta State registered 18 hits and three homeruns to defeat Paine College for the second day in a row, winning 9-5 at Lions Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Freshman left-hander Phillip Dukes (1-0) started on the hill for the Jaguars in 6.0 innings of work with one strikeout and six hits for two runs (zero earned).

ASU junior Jeff Rice singled to center in the top of the second and freshman Justin Mee reached, before senior Justin Appel belted a three-run homerun to left field for a 3-0 lead. Paine notched two in the second off two ASU infield errors, but the Jags had more to say offensively.

Mee hit an RBI-single to score freshman Hunter Boose for one run in the third and Appel hit a run-producing sacrifice fly for a 5-2 ASU lead into the bottom of the fifth. Junior JD Sabo hit a solo homer to center to increase the advantage, but Paine added two in the seventh off of ASU reliever Tyler Ross

ASU put three more up in the ninth off of Appel's second homerun of the day. Paine rallied for one run in the ninth, but not enough as ASU took a 9-5 victory.

Mee went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, while Appel was 2-for-4 with 6 RBIs and two scored runs. Sabo, Boose, Rice, and junior Kevin Dodson all had two hits in the win.

ASU hosts a Peach Belt Conference series against North Georgia on Saturday, March 9 for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.