HICKORY, N.C. -The Augusta State University Softball Team was propelled by strong pitching and a two-run fifth inning as it eliminates Mars Hill College in game five of the 2010 NCAA Southeast Championships.

The Lady Jaguars improve to 40-16 on the season and advance to the Regional Championship on Sunday afternoon at 11:00 a.m. against the No. 2 seed Lenoir-Rhyne. The Lady Lions ended their season 29-18 on the year.

Mars Hill took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Rebekah Huff led off with a double to left field and was bunted to third with one out. Ashley Seawell reached on an error by the second baseman, allowing Huff to score.

Augusta State responded with a run of its own in the bottom half of the frame. With Leann Barber on second base with two outs, Alyha Krier hit a line drive to right centerfield, to drive in the equalizer.

The Jags got two runs in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead in the contest. After Barber doubled to right centerfield to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, she was driven home by Kristen Jones’ single to centerfield. Two batters later, with a runner on second base, Kacey Sims doubled to left center plating ASU’s third run of the contest.

The Lady Lions trimmed the deficit to one in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back one-out singles put runners on first and second, and a ground out by Lindsey Barrier moved them both into scoring position. Huff tallied her third hit of the game, driving in Cammie Hauser to make the score 3-2.

Huff finished the contest three-for-four at the plate for Mars Hill and had the Lions’ sole RBI of the game. Augusta State’s Barber was three-for-four with two doubles and two runs scored while Jones ended the night two-for-three with two RBI.

Sophomore Sara DeMuth scattered eight hits over seven innings of work and struck out three while allowing just one earned run in the contest to move to 17-9 on the year for the Jaguars.

Mars Hill’s Tiffany Farthing fell to 12-7 with the loss as she allowed three earned runs on eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings of play. (Box)