PEMBROKE – UNCP registered its most hits in nearly a month and strung together four multi-run innings to snap a five-game Peach Belt Conference losing streak with a 10-6 victory over visiting Augusta State in the series opener on Friday evening at Sammy Cox Field.

The result gave the 29th-ranked Braves (16-9, 5-7 PBC) their first league win in two weeks, while also giving the Black & Gold its third-straight series victory over the Jaguars. The loss was the fifth-straight setback for Augusta State (8-18, 1-12), while also stretching the PBC losing streak for ASU out to eight games.

Newcomer Dalton Knight doubled and scored a pair of runs on a 4-for-5 night to pace the Braves, who also got three hits apiece from three other players as well. Eitan Maoz and freshman Jordan Edgerton both collected a pair of RBI on 3-for-4 outings, while senior J.J. Williams added a 3-for-5 hitting line as well. Curtis Parker and Jeff Rice both homered on 3-for-5 hitting lines to lead the Jaguars.

Alex Pearce (3-3) struck out four and picked up the win for UNCP despite allowing five earned runs on 12 hits in six innings from the hill. Wilson Taylor (2-1) took his first loss of the season for Augusta State after allowing five earned runs on 10 hits and a pair of walks in five innings from the hill. He also struck out four.

Augusta State grabbed the first lead of the game on Rice's RBI single with two outs in the opening frame, but the Braves got consecutive run scoring singles from Knight and Edgerton in the home half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead into the second. The Jaguars knotted the score back up on a Caleb Saggus single in the second, but the Braves added two more runs in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead for good.

Rice's solo homer in the fourth brought the visitors to within a run, but Max Gagnon helped the hosts answer back in the bottom of the frame with his first home run of the season. The Braves would add a trio of insurance runs in the sixth, and then tacked on two more in the eighth.

The squads will close out their weekend series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Sammy Cox Field. First pitch of the twinbill is slated for 1 p.m.

To watch the full game click Part 1 or Part 2.