MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.  – After taking an initial lead, the fourth-seeded GRU Augusta Jaguars dropped an 8-2 affair to top-seeded and number six in the nation North Georgia on Saturday in the Peach Belt Conference semifinal game of the league tournament at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga.

2015 PBC Softball Tournament Page

Taking care of the fifth-seeded Young Harris Mountain Lions 3-0 in the quarterfinals on Friday, April 24, the Jaguars took the first lead over the No. 6 Nighthawks on Saturday, but couldn't stop the UNG offense.

The Jaguars earned a No. 3 NCAA Southeast Region ranking last week and a live selection show next week will determine their postseason fate to regional play.

GRU started the day with back-to-back bunts for base hits from Ashley Benton and Molly Walton, before Brooke Stephens plated the first Jaguar run on a fly-ball single to centerfield. In the next at bat, Mallory Ferguson lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Walton for a quick 2-0 lead.

The Nighthawks responded with seven runs in the bottom of the first on five hits to take a 7-2 advantage. Paige Deschaine started the game one the mound and faced seven batters before being pulled for left-hander Haley Birkle. Deschaine (16-2) got the loss, allowing three hits for six runs and walking three.

The Jags dealt with UNG pitcher Courtney Poole, the PBC Pitcher of the Year who entered the game leading the conference in earned run average (0.96 ERA) and strikeouts (282). Poole (36-3) gave up six hits for two runs to GRU and struck out three in her complete-game performance.

The Jags fell 8-2 on the day and had six hits to the Nighthawks' 10. Molly Walton and Hannah Wilson both went 2-3 for the Jags, with Walton picking up a scored run. Brooke Stephens had one RBI on one hit and Ferguson had one RBI.

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