ASU Hands Lander First Loss, 12-6

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Augusta State jumped out to an early lead and never trailed Wednesday afternoon, handing Lander its first loss of the season with a 12-6 victory over the Bearcats at Jaguar Field.

The win lifted ASU to 3-6 on the season. The contest did not count as a conference game. ASU outhit Lander 10-6 and the Bearcats committed five errors.

Junior lefthander Joah Evans (1-1) earned his first win in a Jaguar uniform, allowing a pair of hits and three runs in 5.1 innings. He struck out five and walked four among the 24 batters he faced.

Three Jaguar relievers struck out seven and allowed just one earned run in 2.2 innings. Chase Johnston went 1.2 innings, yielding four hits and a run. Scott Strickland pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out the side around a pair of walks. Senior Tony Baker closed out the game in the ninth, recording a strikeout.

Freshman third baseman Cole Payne went 4-for-4 to pace ASU offensively. Alex Walker and Carl Burrow each went 2-for-4 and Walker, Burrow, Tristan Toorie and Payne all scored two runs each.

Robert Skinner and Jordan Owens collected a pair of safeties for the Bearcats, who dropped to 6-1 with the loss. Skinner and Kevin Childs drove in two runs each.

Darrin Tew (1-1), one of six Bearcats to see mound time, took the loss for the visitors. In his only inning of work, he surrendered three runs and walked a pair of batters.

The Jags host Paine College on Friday and Saturday at Lake Olmstead Stadium. ASU and the Lions will meet on Friday, Feb. 19 at 6:00 p.m., at LOS, and return Saturday, Feb. 20 to face off at 1:00 p.m.