DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (2-4) dropped two games against Augusta University (7-5) in its first home games of the season, losing Game 1 by a score of 9-2, and the Jaguars rallied back to win the second game, 16-12, at the Erskine Softball Complex on Thursday afternoon.
 
THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Augusta now leads the all-time series 10-7 following a pair of wins on Thursday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: Augusta 9-2 Erskine
Kaley Ingle surrendered just one hit through her first two innings of work as the Erskine starter, but Augusta sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run third inning to take a 5-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Faith Belue and Sydney McInnis each drew a walk as the Fleet looked to answer back. A few batters later, with Belue at third base following a fielder's choice, the two seniors executed a double steal to get Erskine on the board, 5-1. But, the Jaguars scored twice in the fifth inning and plated two more runs in the seventh as the Fleet bats were held in check by Augusta starter, Mary Tillman. Erskine did get a run back in the seventh inning on a line-drive solo home run from Ingle, but the Fleet lost Game 1, 9-2.

GAME 2: Augusta 16-12 Erskine
After a relatively quiet performance in the first game from the Erskine offense, the Fleet exploded for seven runs in their half of the first inning in Game 2. Kelci Brown reached on an infield single to lead off the frame before Sydney McInnis reached on an error to put two runners on base for Shi Cain. The Erskine third baseman stayed on a fastball and launched it the other way for a three-run home run as Erskine took a commanding lead before recording an out. And the Fleet weren't done yet. Following a lineout, Maddie Ingram roped a double down the left field line before scoring on a Katie Hunter single to extend the Fleet's lead to 4-0. Brooke Patterson drew a walk before Faith Belue capped the monster inning with a towering three-run home run to straightaway left field as the Fleet led 7-0 after just one inning. But, Augusta answered right back with seven runs of their own in the second inning to tie the game. Erskine regained the lead in the bottom half of the second on RBIs from Cain and Peyton Rabon to go back in front, 9-7. Again, Erskine's lead was short-lived, though, as the Jaguars struck four runs in the third inning to go up 11-9. But, the Fleet offense continued to stay hot as McInnis launched a go-ahead, three-run home run in bottom half of the inning to put Erskine back on top in what quickly became an offensive shootout, 12-11. Freshman Breanna Minton came out of the bullpen for the Fleet and held on to Erskine's slim lead with scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth innings. But, Augusta scored four times in their half of the sixth before adding an insurance run in the seventh as the Game 1 starter, Tillman, held the Fleet offense off the board out of relief to finish a 16-12 defeat for Erskine in Game 2.

THE PLAYER
After going 0-for-3 in Game 1, senior Sydney McInnis filled up the box score in Game 2, going 2-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs, including a go-ahead three-run home run in the third inning. McInnis also led off the second inning with a double down the right field line.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine will have the weekend off as the Fleet continue their home stretch in non-conference play before welcoming USC Aiken (5-5) to town next Wednesday, February 23 for a doubleheader starting a 1:00 p.m. The teams split a doubleheader in Due West in late February of last season.

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