FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-27-04

College Softball: No. 12 AASU 6-6, Augusta State 1-0

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State senior pitcher Katya Eronina tied the Peach Belt Conference record for consecutive victories by winning both games of a doubleheader against Augusta State on Saturday afternoon, 6-1 and 6-0. The NFCA All-America pitcher has won 24 consecutive decisions dating back to 2003, tying her with Kennesaw State’s Kelly Rafter (1995) for the league record.

Eronina (21-0) hurled five shutout innings in game one of the doubleheader, striking out nine and giving up just two hits, as the No. 12-ranked Pirates (31-2, 9-1 PBC) took game one, 6-1. AASU rapped out 13 hits in game one, including a solo home run by Michelle Davis that opened up the scoring in the second inning, and got two-hit games from Davis, Stacy Oliver, Amanda Kort and Jenny Alfirov. Shelli Sirmons (4-14) took the loss for the Jaguars, giving up all 13 hits and six runs – five earned – in six innings pitched. Augusta State scored its only run in the sixth on an RBI single by Jessica Martin that scored Jessica Matta off of AASU reliever Adrian Tuttle.

Eronina came back in game two and hurled a complete-game four-hit shutout, striking out 10, as the Pirates won the nightcap, 6-0. Senior Stacey Richardson went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and a double, while Carrie Thompson had two hits off the bench and an RBI for the Pirates. Augusta State (11-25, 2-10 PBC) had two hits from Sirmons in the second game. Erin Cown (6-8) dropped game two, giving up 11 hits and six runs – three earned – in six innings pitched.

The wins extended the Pirates’ current win streak to 21, the longest streak for AASU since the Pirates started the 2000 season with a 21-game win streak. Augusta State dropped its ninth in a row.

AASU returns to action on Tuesday, March 31, as the Pirates host top-ranked Kennesaw State University at 1:00 p.m. at the AASU Softball Field.

- Pirates -