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Augusta University

Softball

Two Seventh-Inning Homers Lift Jags To Victory At Lenoir-Rhyne

HICKORY, N.C. – The Jaguars took a break from league play and split a non-conference doubleheader against the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears on Sunday afternoon in Hickory, N.C.

GRU (19-5) entered the day on a four-game win streak and dropped the first game of the doubleheader by one run in a 3-2 loss. GRU's Caitlyn Glenn knocked a two-run homer in the top of the second, but three runs from the Bears gave them the edge to outlast the Jags.

Junior Paige Deschaine made the game-one start and recorded 4.0 innings of work before Haley Birkle relieved her for 3.1 innings. Deschaine allowed three hits for one run and struck out five, while Birkle (9-4) got the loss – allowing two hits for two runs.

Senior Brooke Stephens went 2-3 in game one, while Glenn, Mallory Ferguson, and Molly Walton each added one hit. Stephens paced the Jags all week long – going 6-12 and batting .500 with three long balls in the doubleheaders against USC Aiken and Lenoir-Rhyne.

In game two, lefty Haley Birkle made the start and tossed a complete game on the mound to carry her squad to the win. Birkle allowed four hits for three runs and sat down four on strikeouts.

In the seventh inning down 3-0, the Jaguars found life from Hannah Wilson and Stephens. After Brianna Dickens singled up the middle, Wilson lined a homer to left field to make it 3-2. Walton drew a walk and Hannah Vaugh knocked an infield single to get two more on the base path. Stephens sat back in the next at bat and drove her third homer of the week to center field to score three and will GRU to a 5-3 comeback victory.

The Bears had two on in the bottom of the seventh of game two, but Birkle got a strikeout and groundball to escape the game ahead.

GRU hosts North Georgia this Wednesday, March 25 at 1:00 p.m. on Jaguar Field for a Peach Belt Conference showdown.

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow GRU Athletics at www.jaguarsroar.com and receive short updates on Facebook at GRU_Jaguars and on Twitter at @GRU_Jaguars.

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Players Mentioned

Haley Birkle

#12 Haley Birkle

LHP
5' 7"
Redshirt
Paige Deschaine

#2 Paige Deschaine

RHP
5' 5"
Redshirt
Brianna Dickens

#5 Brianna Dickens

SS
5' 9"
Redshirt
Mallory Ferguson

#16 Mallory Ferguson

C
5' 3"
Redshirt
Caitlyn Glenn

#18 Caitlyn Glenn

C/OF
Redshirt
Brooke Stephens

#9 Brooke Stephens

OF/SS
5' 8"
Redshirt
Molly Walton

#6 Molly Walton

OF
5' 5"
Redshirt
Hannah Wilson

#0 Hannah Wilson

SS/2B
5' 5"
Redshirt

Players Mentioned

Haley Birkle

#12 Haley Birkle

5' 7"
Redshirt
LHP
Paige Deschaine

#2 Paige Deschaine

5' 5"
Redshirt
RHP
Brianna Dickens

#5 Brianna Dickens

5' 9"
Redshirt
SS
Mallory Ferguson

#16 Mallory Ferguson

5' 3"
Redshirt
C
Caitlyn Glenn

#18 Caitlyn Glenn

Redshirt
C/OF
Brooke Stephens

#9 Brooke Stephens

5' 8"
Redshirt
OF/SS
Molly Walton

#6 Molly Walton

5' 5"
Redshirt
OF
Hannah Wilson

#0 Hannah Wilson

5' 5"
Redshirt
SS/2B