Box Score DUE WEST, S.C. – The Jaguar Baseball team played their fourth game in three days to drop an 11-1 non-conference game on Monday afternoon against the Erskine Flying Fleet on Grier Field.
GRU Augusta (3-4) freshman Phil Dukes got the midweek start, retiring his first two batters before back-to-back singles and a Logan Galliher RBI-double led to a 2-0 Erskine lead after the first inning.
In the second, Brandon Overstreet hit a liner in between shortstop and third base – ricocheting off GRU senior Kevin Dodson's glove to put him on second. A passed ball put moved the runner to third and an Andrew Kozak sacrifice fly to center field gave Erskine a 3-0 advantage. Erskine held GRU scoreless in the second and scored two more in the third. Chase Corn doubled and Zach Smith traded places with him with an RBI-double. Dukes got a groundball double play that scored the Flying Fleet's fifth run.
Freshman Will Robertson made his second appearance of the season in the fourth inning to get out of the inning with no runs. The Jags left one-man on in the top of fifth after Bradley Dennis was thrown out from left field to end the inning. GRU's offense showed up in the sixth inning with help from senior JD Sabo. Sabo leadoff the sixth with a single and reached third eventually off a passed ball. Jeff Rice hit into a fielder's choice that scored Sabo for the Jags' first and only run. The Flying Fleet tacked on two in the seventh and four in the eighth to take an 11-1 final.
Dukes (0-1) got the loss for the Jaguars in 3.0 innings, giving up seven hits for five runs before Robertson and Tristan Jones relieved. The Fleet got four hits for two runs off Robertson in his 3.0 innings of work, before Jones allowed five hits for four runs (three earned). Rice stayed hot for the Jaguars as he went 2-for-3 with the lone RBI. Rice is hitting a team-best .462 with 12 hits in 26 at bats thus far in 2014. Dennis recorded two hits in the loss to push his average to .421.
The Flying Fleet were led by Corn's 4-for-5 day, while Galliher and Smith each knocked three hits to help their relief pitcher Matt Gutner (1-0) get his first win in 3.0 innings pitched.
The Jaguars open Peach Belt Conference play at Armstrong this Saturday, Feb. 15 with a series-opening doubleheader at 11:00 a.m.
