RELATED: GRU Augusta Tops Softball For Doubleheader Sweep

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The visiting UNC Pembroke softball team entered into the top of the seventh inning down by three and rallied to get a pair runs but came up short with bases loaded as GRU Augusta captured the 5-4 victory in game one of the Peach Belt Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Jaguar Field.

Senior Brea Hartley logged UNCP's (18-14, 2-9 PBC) only hit and only RBI as she singled to right field in the third inning, while GRU Augusta (20-7, 6-3) tallied seven hits as Hannah Wilson and Brooke Stephens each tallied two. Hannah Vaughn registered a game-high three RBI for the Jaguars.

Junior Katie Saunders (9-9) suffered the loss after notching her 13th complete game in the middle for the Braves, but struck out five in 30 batters faced and allowed five runs (two earned) on seven hits. Haley Birkle (10-6) clinched her 10th win the middle despite walking nine and allowing four unearned runs on just one hit.

GRU Augusta used two sacrifice bunts to move Hannah Wilson around the bases after reaching on a hit-by-pitch and scored the opening run on Stephens' base hit to take the 1-0 lead in the first.

Whitney Jackson evened up the game as she reached on an error and was sent home on Hartley's single in the third, but the Jaguars added two runs in the bottom of the third and an additional two in the fourth for the 5-1 lead.

Reaching on a fielders' choice in the sixth, freshman Toni Nelson worked her way home on an error, before both Kaytee Wilson and Hartley made it to first after being walked. An error and wild pitch send the two runners home to bring UNCP to within one run, but the contest ended on a groundout to the second baseman to halt UNCP's effort for a comeback.