FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-1-06

College Softball: Augusta State 4-7, Armstrong Atlantic State 0-11

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State softball squad split a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader with league-leading Augusta State on Saturday afternoon at the AASU softball field. Amy Dumas’ one-hit shutout gave the Jaguars a 4-0 win in game one, but the Pirates used a five-run first inning to help outlast the Jaguars, 11-7, in game two.

Dumas was masterful as the Jaguars (24-7, 10-2 PBC) took game one of the doubleheader. The PBC’s strikeout leader set down nine and gave up just one hit – a single to AASU’s Jessica Miranda leading off the third inning – in improving to 14-3 overall. Leigh Robbins’ two-RBI single in the top of the first inning put the Jaguars up, 2-0, and Augusta State tacked on single runs in the fifth and the sixth inning to pick up the win. Rachel Koening-Eng (10-4) took the loss, giving up four runs – three earned – and eight hits in seven innings pitched.

Armstrong Atlantic (29-16, 8-4 PBC) broke out the big inning in game two, sending nine batters to the plate in taking a 5-0 lead after the first inning. Amber Hunt delivered a two-run home run to spark the inning, then Hunt added an RBI single in the second to make the lead 6-0. Augusta State scored twice in the third on RBI singles from Dumas and Courtney Smith, then had a big inning of its own with five runs in the fifth inning – led by Ashley Tedder’s two-run shot – to make the lead just 8-7. In the dwindling afternoon light, the Pirates answered back with two runs in the fifth on Roni Castro’s two-run single, and added a single run in the sixth to make the lead 11-7. After the troublesome fifth inning, AASU hurler Heather Woods (8-7) retired the Jaguars in the seventh to pick up the win, scattering 15 hits and giving up seven runs in seven innings. Christine Gisler (5-2) took the loss for the Jaguars, giving up five runs and three hits in 2/3 of an inning pitched.

The Pirates are next in action on Wednesday, April 5, as they host cross-town rival Savannah College of Art and Design at 2:00 p.m. at the AASU Softball Field. Augusta State returns to action on April 5 as well at Carson-Newman at 2:00 p.m.

- Pirates -