AUGUSTA, Ga.  – The Jaguars won a close 5-4 first game, before Hannah Wilson's grand slam in game two gave GRU Augusta an early lead to sweep the doubleheader over the visiting UNC Pembroke Braves on Saturday afternoon at Jaguar Field.

The Jaguars (21-7, 5-3 PBC) combined for 17 hits over two games, seven in the first and 10 in the second to beat UNCP (18-15, 2-10 PBC).

Lefty Haley Birkle (11-6) started game one for GRU and pitched 7.0 innings, only allowing one hit on the day. She had one strikeout and all four of her allowed runs were unearned.

Senior Hannah Vaughn was 1-2 with three RBIs, while Brooke Stephens and Hannah Wilson each had two hits through the first seven innings of play. The Jags' early lead in each game, made the late UNCP offensive attack less threatening. In game one, Birkle stranded 11 runners on base to help seal the one-run win.

In the bottom of the second inning of game two, Brooke Stephens singled to start things off before Mallory Ferguson and Lindsay Stokes reached on a hit-by-pitch and walk. Brianna Dickens singled to score Stephens for the quick 1-0 lead and in the next at bat Ashley Benton reached on a fielder's choice to reload the bases.

Hannah Wilson belted a grand slam over the centerfield wall in the next at bat to clear the bases and put GRU up 5-0. The Braves would threaten down the stretch, including three runs in the seventh inning, but 10 hits were too much as the Jags held on for the second win of the day.

The first four batters in the lineup for the Jaguars in game two, Wilson, Molly Walton, Vaughn, and Stephens, all had two hits each in game two to spark their team to a victory. Three of the four are seniors.

Right-hander Kristen Mills got her first win of the season and made her longest outing on the mound. She gave up eight hits for eight runs, but the sophomore struck out six to keep it close before Birkle relieved to get the save.

GRU plays another league doubleheader on the road Wednesday, April 1 at Armstrong for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch.

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