AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta Jaguars opened a non-conference series against the Florida Tech Panthers and won 5-3 with a big four-run third inning to take the win.

The Jags (8-2) met the Panthers (4-6) for the first of three games on the weekend and came back after giving up a 1-0 lead in the second. Seniors Hunter Boose, Nick Rau, and Connor Gilbert each had two hits in the two-through three holes in the lineup and junior Tyler Roberts was 2-3 in the nine hole.

Jags junior righty Tristan Jones (3-0) made his third start of the young season and logged 6.0 innings, striking out three while surrendering nine hits for three runs (two earned).

With runners on first and second in the second inning, the Panthers plated the initial run on a dropped fly ball for a 1-0 lead. Junior Tyler Roberts led off the bottom of the third inning with a single and scored on senior Nick Rau's second hit of the day to tie the game.

Seniors Hunter Boose and Conner Gilbert slapped back-to-back singles before senior Drew Taylor delivered a bases-clearing double for a 4-1 swing in the third.

The Panthers got two runs back in the fourth inning on four hits for a one-run game.

Augusta reliever Joey Stillwell pitched two innings of scoreless baseball to keep the Jags ahead where he struck out three. Sophomore Jim Wagner tripled down the right-field line for Augusta to open the bottom of the eighth and junior Cole Janousek scored him on a liner up the middle for a two-run lead.

Sophomore Ty Cohen logged 5.0 innings for the Panthers in the start and struck out seven while giving up nine hits for four runs in the loss.

The Jags conclude the series with Florida Tech for a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 20 starting at 12:00 p.m. in Lake Olmstead Stadium.

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