AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta softball put up a strong fight against undefeated Tusculum on Monday at Jaguar Field but came up short in both games, falling 4-2 in Game 1 and 13-9 in Game 2.
In the opener, Augusta (8-6) fell behind early as Tusculum put two runs on the board in the second inning and added another in the third. The Jaguars had their chances, finally breaking through in the fifth when Kelsea Moody launched a solo home run to left to cut the deficit to 3-1. In the sixth, Bailee Roberts doubled down the left-field line and later scored on a squeeze bunt from Ansley Gibson, making it a 4-2 game. Augusta threatened again in the seventh, putting two runners on, but couldn't bring them home.
Ansley Gibson (3-1) took the loss, pitching five innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Hannah Turner pitched two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit.
Game 2 saw Augusta in an early hole after Tusculum plated four runs in the first and three more in the second, but the Jaguars responded in a big way. Bailee Roberts sparked a six-run third inning with an RBI single, and Kelsea Moody followed with a bases-loaded walk. Kaylynn Scaffe came through with a two-run double to right, and Chesney Miles capped off the rally with an RBI infield single, tying the game at 7-7.
Roberts gave Augusta its first lead in the fourth, blasting a solo home run to left, but Tusculum answered with three runs in the fifth to retake the lead. Moody cut the deficit to one in the fifth, crushing a solo home run to right to make it 10-9, but Augusta couldn't hold off a late push from the Pioneers, who added three insurance runs in the seventh.
Madalyn Spinks started in the circle, pitching two innings before Turner (2-2) took over in relief, working five innings while allowing five earned runs and striking out four.
Augusta will return to action in non-conference play in a weekend tournament in Hickory, NC Feb 22 where the Jaguars will face Young Harris, West Liberty, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Assumption
