FLORENCE, S.C. -No. 15 Augusta State rallied back in their second game at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with a 9-5 victory over the UNC Pembroke Braves at Freedom Florence Park in Florence, S.C.

The Jags dropped their first game of the PBC Tournament earlier in the day in a 5-4 loss to USC Aiken.

With the win, Augusta State improved to 38-14 on the season, while the loss ended the Braves season as they dropped to 29-19 overall.

UNC Pembroke jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Braves would then add two more runs in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead over the Jags.

The Jags then responded in the bottom of the third with three runs, making the score 4-3. Kristen Jones homered to center field, scoring Kacey Sims. Jessica Thornton drew a walk. Kacee Camp then singled down the leftfield line to score Thornton.

ASU rallied in the bottom of the fourth and added three more runs. Jones knocked in two of those runs with a double to left center that scored Sims and Leann Barber.

UNC Pembroke would push one more run across the plate in the top of the fifth. The Braves could not hold off the Jags in the bottom of the sixth, as ASU added three more runs and took game two 9-5.

ASU’s Emily Corish earned the start and lasted 2.1 innings. Corish gave up two earned runs on six hits and had a strikeout. Kimberly Kennedy relieved Corish in the third and earned the win improving to 9-2 on the season. Kennedy allowed only one run on three hits and booked three strikeouts. DeMuth relieved Kennedy in the seventh and earned her third save of the year.

Caroline Newman allowed six runs (two earned) on 10 hits and a pair of walks in 3.1 innings of relief work to saddle the loss for UNCP. Jamie Burwell earned the start for the Braves and lasted 2.2 innings.

Jones paced the Jags offensively going 3-for-3 with four RBI, while Alysha Krier had two hits and two RBI. Camp had two hits and an RBI and four different Jags each had a hit.

For UNC Pembroke, Loren Bartz had two hits and an RBI, while Morgan Patrick and Burwell each had two hits in the game.

The Jaguars are back in action tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., when they take on Armstrong Atlantic State in one of the first two elimination games being held tomorrow at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. (Box)