Bats Shine as Soul Debut with Big Win
Published on June 19, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: The Augusta Soul (36-31, 1-0) identity made its official on-field debut, and may never be allowed to leave, as Augusta posted sixteen runs on sixteen hits in a crushing defeat of the Hill City Howlers (31-36, 0-1) Friday evening.
While eight of nine starters reached multiple times in the game, Junior Garcia was the most impactful star, reaching base in all five plate appearances and totaling a career-high seven RBIs. Garcia finished a triple shy of the cycle, and had two 3-RBI swings including a long opposite-field homer as he produced more runs than any Augusta player has this year.
Garcia was far from alone in his success, as Alex Lodise continued his dominant week with his third multi-homer game of the season. Lodise has now homered four times in his last three games, and picked up three extra base hits tonight as his brilliant month of June continues. Luis Guanipa also added four hits on the day, while Tanner Smith had three hits including a home run in the back half of the order.
Hill City's tough week on the mound continued, as starter Ryan DeSanto gave up four hits and five walks while becoming the third starter this week to toss three innings or less for the Howlers. Hill City has now walked nine men or more in every game this week, and have totaled 39 walks in 31 innings at SRP Park.
Landon Beidelschies was solid in four innings as the Soul starter, but it was Adiel Melendez who earned the win in relief. Melendez tossed a career-high three innings, allowing just one hit and keeping his opponent scoreless for the fifth straight time. Also impressive on the mound was Daniel Brooks, who tossed his third straight scoreless outing to begin his Single-A career and struck out three of the four batters he faced.
The Augusta Soul are back on the field tomorrow for the second and final time this year, before the jerseys are auctioned off for charitable benefit. Jeremy Reyes returns to Augusta to take the ball for the Soul, after spending two months in the rotation at High-A Rome. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35, with postgame fireworks set to follow the game's final out.
Carolina League Stories from June 19, 2026
- Vasquez's Winning Homer Completes Big Comeback in Start of Second Half - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Poteet's Late-Inning Homer Not Enough, Pelicans Fall to Shorebirds, 8-4 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Clutch Offense Lifts Delmarva to Win in Second-Half Opener - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Comeback Effort Comes up Short, FredNats Fall to Salem 7-6 in 2nd Half Opener - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Bats Shine as Soul Debut with Big Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Crawdads Pummel Columbia 10-0 - Hickory Crawdads
- Wilson Bats Quieted in Second Half Opener - Wilson Warbirds
- Fireflies Bested 10-0 in First Game of Second Half - Columbia Fireflies
- Morgan Delivers Another Quality Start, RiverDogs Earn 4-2 Win in Wilson - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Hickory 6.19 - Columbia Fireflies
- Pelicans Use 12 Run Eighth Inning Comeback to Rout Shorebirds 21-10 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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