Augusta beings 2016 season on the road at Southern Showdown tournament in Columbus, Ga.

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Augusta University softball team dropped an extra-inning battle with Valdosta State 2-0 before falling 12-1 to North Alabama on Saturday at the 2016 Southern Showdown tournament in Columbus, Ga., hosted by Columbus State University.

The Peach Belt Conference and Gulf South Conference host the 2016 Southern Showdown in Columbus, Ga., Jan. 30-31. The Jags met Valdosta State at 2:00 p.m. for their first game of 2016 and finished the day with North Alabama at 6:30 p.m.

Senior righty Paige Deschaine started on the mound for Augusta (0-2, 0-0 PBC) and sat down the first three Valdosta hitters in order – highlighted by a strikeout. Deschaine struck out seven in the game and only allowed three hits.

In the top of the sixth, Valdosta knocked a double and drew a walk for a first and third situation, but Deschaine struck out Heather Robinson on a 2-2 count to keep a tie-game intact.

Scoreless through regulation, the game moved to extra innings and Valdosta took the first lead of the day. Deschaine walked the leadoff in the eighth inning and a bunt single put two runners on. A full-count double from Jaime Phillips put VSU up 2-0.

Valdosta's Caitlyn Calhoun held Augusta to one hit in the game. It came on a single to left field in the third inning from senior Kristen Bagley. Calhoun pitched 8.0 innings and sat down 11 batters on strikeouts.

In game two of the day, the Jags fell 12-1 to North Alabama.

Junior Ashley Benton and sophomore Lindsey Stokes each drew walks in the top of the first against UNA and sophomore Erin Rozier lined an opposite-field groundout to plate Benton for the first run for the Jaguars as Augusta University.

Left-handed senior Haley Birkle gave up a solo home run in the third to knot the game and a two-run deep shot in the fourth gave North Alabama a 3-1 lead that they wouldn't give up.

Birkle pitched 4.1 innings and surrendered seven hits for seven runs while striking out two. Junior Kristen Mills came in and logged 0.2 innings of work and allowed three hits for five runs.

North Alabama built a 12-1 advantage to take the game in five innings. Augusta sophomore transfers Carolyn Edwards and Erin Holcomb each had a hit for the offensive representation.   

Augusta wraps tournament play at the Southern Showdown on Sunday, Jan. 31 when they meet Delta State at 9:00 a.m. and Alabama Huntsville at 4:30 p.m.

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