AUGUSTA, Ga. – A big five-run rally in the final inning of game two propelled East Stroudsburg University to an 8-6 victory in the finale at Augusta, as the Warriors earned a split of the doubleheader on Tuesday to close out their road trip.
Augusta claimed a 1-0 victory in a pitcher's duel in the opening game, and it appeared the Jaguars were headed for a two-game sweep as they entered the last inning of game two with a three-run lead. The Warriors had other ideas, as they rallied for five runs in the final frame, capped by a go-ahead two-run single from
Denva Shaw-Tait, to post an 8-6 win.
The victory pushed the Warriors to 6-10 overall as they closed out their stretch of 16 straight road games to begin the season. Augusta fell to 8-12 on the year after the late loss.
GAME 1: Augusta 1, ESU 0 | Box Score
ESU's
Mikayla Pourby and Augusta's Kelsey Parks battled in a pitcher's duel in the opening game before the Jaguars won it on a walk-off single by Courtney Browne in the bottom of the seventh.
Pourby had one of her strongest outing of the season, going 6.2 innings and striking out seven while yielding just six hits and one run. For Augusta, Parks went seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and four hits allowed.
With the game knotted at 0-0 heading into the final half inning, Sydney Tulin led things off with a single to right field before being lifted for pinch runner Jada Jackson, who advanced to second on a sac bunt.
The next batter, Bella Fernandez, singled through the left side but Jackson was held at third with one out.
Pourby then got a big strikeout of Megan McCook with the potential game-winning run at third, but Browne, the game's next batter, was able to come through with a clutch two-out single to right field to score Jackson and give Augusta the 1-0 walk-off win.
GAME 2: ESU 8, Augusta 6 | Box Score
ESU showed its fight in game two, posting a big five-run seventh inning to come from behind and earn an 8-6 win.
Donaghue,
Molly Nies and
Ashley Spencer each went 2-for-4 in the contest. Donaghue and Shaw-Tait posted a pair of RBIs apiece in the victory.
Leigh Ann Jenkins tossed three scoreless innings of relief, striking out two and allowing just one hit, to record her second win of the season.
The Warriors struck for a pair of runs in the top of the first to jump out to an early lead.
Marissa Govan crossed the plate on an error for the team's first run, and Donaghue followed with an RBI double to score Caleen and make it a 2-0 game.
Augusta tied the contest with a pair in the second before taking the lead on a three-run homer to left in the third from Tulin. The home run, Tulin's team-leading fifth of the season, gave the Jaguars a 5-2 advantage.
Still trailing by three entering the final inning, the Warriors had each of their first three batters reach base, including pinch hitter
Morgan Walsh, who got the rally started with a leadoff double off the fence.
After a fielder's choice force-out at the plate for the first out, Caleen drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to 6-4.
Donaghue then came to the plate and singled through the left side to score Nies, while an error by the left fielder also allowed
MacKenzie Lewis to cross the plate as the Warriors tied the contest at 6-6.
With runners at second and third and two outs, Shaw-Tait came up with a clutch single up the middle to score both Caleen and Donaghue and give ESU an 8-6 advantage.
The Jaguars got two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but Jenkins was able to escape the jam and secure the victory for ESU.
The Warriors return to East Stroudsburg for their first action at home this season, taking on Mansfield in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 14 beginning at 1 p.m. at Zimbar Field.
