Gibson does it all in Jaguars’ sweep over Belmont Abbey

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in chief

The Augusta University softball team took a close first game of the doubleheader against the Belmont Abbey Crusaders on Wednesday, Feb. 18, with a final score of 2-1, thanks to a late-game RBI double from Payton Terrell.

Ansley Gibson started and finished the game from the circle, allowing only one run on six hits with five strikeouts. Gibson said her focus was simple:

“So my big thing about pitching the first game was I was just trying to get a good start,” Gibson said. “As of late, we haven’t been getting the best starts, and we’re beginning behind in games, so I wanted to have the momentum of a 0-0 ball game, so we could score first and get our momentum going.”

Sam Tener led the way offensively for the Lady Jags, going 2-for-3 with two singles, and Eden Parker had a solo home run that tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning.

For the Crusaders, freshman Sienna Garcia got the start in the circle. She pitched sixinnings and allowed both runs on six hits. Garcia had an eerily similar stat line when compared to fellow pitcher Gibson, as she also finished with five strikeouts. Junior Ava Elkins drove in the sole run for the Crusaders.

Augusta carried its momentum into game two, using aggressive base running and small ball to jump ahead early. After Tener drew a walk in the bottom of the first, the Jaguars executed back-to-back bunts from Bailey and Payton Terrell to pressure the defense and load the bases. Sydney Gilbert then drove a ball deep to right field, clearing the bases and giving Augusta a 3-0 lead after one inning.

Belmont Abbey answered in the top of the third, loading the bases and cutting the deficit to 3-1 on an RBI single. Kristyn Ezzo worked out of the jam with a key strikeout to strand three runners and preserve the lead.

The game settled into a pitching duel until the bottom of the sixth, when Augusta broke it open. After loading the bases with no outs, the Jaguars capitalized with a pair of sacrifice flies to extend the lead to 5-1. Gibson, the winning pitcher in the opener, later came in to pinch hit and launched a two-run home run, pushing the advantage to 7-1, and putting her stamp all over the doubleheader.

Gibson said she was able to stay locked in at the plate despite the sudden opportunity.

“I work better when I’m not thinking, so going in as a pitch hitter and not knowing I was about to hit,” she said. “I was locked in.”

She adjusted quickly after seeing a changeup on the first pitch.

“I did not see one change up, and I get up there, first pitch was a change up, and I said, ‘Oh, OK,’ so in the next pitch, I knew she had an up ball, so I just hacked at it, and then there I went,” Gibson said.

The Crusaders threatened in the seventh, scoring two runs and loading the bases with two outs, but Augusta secured the final flyout to seal the 7-3 win and complete the doubleheader sweep.

With the wins, Augusta improves to 4-6 and Belmont Abbey falls to 2-6.

The Jags will be back in action this upcoming Friday, Feb. 20, at home for a doubleheader against North Greenville. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.

Sam Tener (7) gets ready to take a swing during the first game against Belmont-Abbey. Tener had a great game. going 2-3 on the offensive side with two hits. At the top of the page, Ansley Gibson (12) throws a nasty pitch to the Crusaders’ batter. The hometown senior had her stamp all over this doubleheader, after hitting a homer that opened the second game up for the Jaguars. (photos by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)