FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-21-06

2006 Peach Belt Conference Championships: AASU 6, UNC Pembroke 4
AASU 1, Augusta State 0

AIKEN, S.C. – Deanna Beaty launched a solo home run and Heather Woods fired a four-hit shutout as the No. 4-seeded Pirates defeated the No. 3-seed Augusta State on Friday afternoon at the 2006 Peach Belt Conference Championships at Citizens Park in Aiken, S.C. The Pirates advance into the winner's bracket with two wins on the day as AASU also knocked off UNC Pembroke, 6-4.

Beaty hit an 0-2 pitch from ASU starter Amy Dumas over the left center wall in the top of the fifth for the only run in the contest, while Woods kept the Jaguar hitters off balance all game long. Augusta State had one last crack at it in the seventh with Jennifer Tomlinson on second and one out, Jessica Matta lined out to first baseman Amber Hunt, and Hunt stepped on the bag at second to complete the double play and give the Pirates (36-23) the victory. Woods (12-9) gave up four singles and struck out two for her third shutout of the year.

In the first game, Beaty and Amber Hunt hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the first as the Pirates plated three runs, then held on for the 6-4 victory over the Braves. Veronica Castro added a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning in support of Rachel Koening-Eng (11-8), who hurled the complete-game win giving up nine hits and four runs while striking out two.

AASU's two home runs against the Braves in game one broke the single-season home run record as the Pirates now have hit 46 home runs, besting the record of 44 set in 2000. The Pirates now advance to play No. 2 seed GC&SU on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in a winners bracket semifinal.

- Pirates -