Box Score JACKSONVILLE, FL--Opening Day proved to be an exciting one for the USC Aiken Pacers (1-0) as it cruised to an 11-3 victory over Florida Tech (2-2) on the first day of the Peach Belt Challenge.  The tournament is being hosted by #1 North Florida in Jacksonville. 
  
Offense was the word of the day as USCA tallied four home runs by four different players on 11 hits.  The Pacers led off the game with a two run blast by freshman Bradley Key, off Panther hurler Greg D'Esposito.  That was the Evans, GA native's first collegiate at bat.  The Panthers were able to get one run back in the bottom of the inning on a RBI single up the middle by Bubba DiFabio, but that was as close as the Panthers would get.

USCA tallied its third run of the game in the top of the second as sophomore Tony Hanks belted out a solo shot on the first at bat of the inning for a 3-1 lead.  Following three scoreless innings, the Pacers blew the game wide-open with a five-run sixth inning to build an 8-1 lead.

The Pacers manufactured three of the five runs in the inning on a pair of errors by the Panthers and another wild pitch.  However, the other two runs came on the third round-tripper of the day as junior Demetrick Drumming launched a ball to left field to put the nail in the coffin.

Pacer junior pitcher Anthony Marchioli (1-0) pitched a solid six innings on opening day.  He allowed only one run on one hit, recorded two walks and fanned five batters.  The final three innings featured a trio of pitchers as sophomore David Caison pitched the seventh, freshman Rob Wilhitewent in the eighth and senior Mitch Hearne finished the ninth.  For the Panthers, D'Esposito (1-1) picks up the loss.

USCA recorded three more runs in the seventh inning as Cummings tripled to left scoring junior Leroy Walker from first.  Sophomore Ashley Farr belted in the final home run of the game for the Pacers, a two run shot to right field.

The Panthers scored two more runs in the bottom half of the seventh but that was all they could muster as USCA closed out the game for an 11-3 victory.

Eight Pacers recorded hits in the season opener with Drumming finishing the day 3-for-5, one home run, one run and two RBI's.  He was just a double away from hitting for the cycle.  Farr recorded three RBI's on the day, going 1-for-4, one home run, one run and three RBI.  Key, in his Pacer debut, finished 2-for-5, one home run, two runs and two RBI.  The Pacers return to action tomorrow against Limestone at 6:00 p.m., on Day Two of the Peach
Belt Challenge.

USC Aiken    210   005   300 -   11 11  0 
Florida Tech  100   000   200 -    3   4  4