HICKORY, N.C. – The Jaguars began their second of three tournaments on the road this season and outlasted Lenoir-Rhyne 6-5 in the opening game before producing 14 hits in game two to win 11-7 over Carson-Newman. The Jags began the non-conference tourney at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C.

Augusta (4-10) took game one with a 6-5 comeback win over Lenoir Rhyne (8-1) after trailing 4-0 in the first inning. They knocked 14 hits in game two for the win, highlighted by six runs in the fifth inning over the C-N Eagles (4-1).

The 14 hits the Jags produced were the 11th most all time by Carson Newman softball.

The Jags went down 4-0 in the first inning of game one off two Lenoir-Rhyne hits and a bases-loaded walk. Augusta cut the lead in half in the third inning when sophomore Lindsey Stokes tripled to score junior Brianna Dickens before sophomore Carolyn Edwards plated Stokes with a single to the left side.

Edwards went 2-3 in the cleanup position in game one with a run and RBI and Dickens was 2-3 with two runs.

Senior Paige Deschaine took over the mound for the Jags in the first inning after junior Kristen Mills faced nine batters to start the game. Deschaine (1-5) struck out seven and only allowed one run on eight hits to get the win.

Four hits and an error in the bottom of the fifth inning gave the Jags four runs to steal a 6-4 lead. Dickens singled and stole second to begin the inning and back-to-back hits from Ashley Benton and Auburn Balcorta started the comeback. The Bears made a pitching change and the Jags scored two unearned runs on a few throwing errors.

Lenoir-Rhyne hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh for a one-run game, but Deschaine struck out the final out for the win.

Facing Carson-Newman in game two of the day, the Jags led first when senior Casey Rowland reached on an outfield error that scored Edwards and Stokes for a 2-0 advantage. The Eagles answered when they also scored an unearned run with help from the Augusta defense.

Cheyenne Boles belted a three-run homer off Jaguar starter Emily Hittinger in the third inning, but Jags sophomore Erin Holcomb responded with a solo homer in the fourth to bring the team within one.

Freshman Emily Hittinger pitched 3.1 innings in her second start of the season and struck one while allowing six hits for four runs (three earned). Lefty senior Haley Birkle (1-4) made an appearance in 0.2 innings, before Deschaine logged 3.0 innings on the mound and struck out four.

The Eagles scored two in the fourth for a 6-3 lead, but Augusta scored on two throwing errors and tied the game 6-6 when senior Kristen Bagley delivered an RBI single to left field scoring freshman Alex Head.

Birkle reached on a walk to load the bases in the fifth inning with one out. Benton scored two with a two-RBI knock and Stokes walked with the bases loaded as the Jags totaled six runs in the fifth for a 9-6 lead.  

Stokes stroked a homer in the seventh and the Jags took an eventual 11-7 final. Stokes went 4-4 with three runs and three RBI in game two and Edwards, Rowland, and Bagley each had two hits.

The Jaguars travel to Salisbury, N.C., for day two of the Lenoir-Rhyne/Catawba Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 20. Augusta faces Belmont-Abbey at 9:00 a.m. and plays Catawba at 11:00 a.m.

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