Box Score AIKEN, SC--For the first time since the start of the 1998 season, the USC Aiken Pacers (2-2) fall in their home opener, losing 8-6 to Carson Newman College (3-2) in non-conference baseball action Friday night at J.H. Satcher Field.  That home opening loss in 1998 was also at the hands of the Eagles.

Matt Huskey (2-0) gave up back to back doubles to Leroy Walker and Micheal Snelgrove to lead off the bottom of the first inning.  However, the senior right hander settled down, scattering just three more hits over 7.0 innings and striking out 10.

Junior left hander Anthony Marchioli (1-1) did not fair as well for the Pacers.  Marchioli allowed seven runs, four earned, on seven hits and one walk while striking out three in 4.2 innings.  He falls for the first time in two decisions for USCA.

Trailing 8-3 with one on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Demetrick Drumming singled to left field, advancing Bradley Key to third base and bringing Sean Tiernan to the plate.  Tiernan, who was 0-for-3 to that point, crushed a 1-1 pitch over the leftcenter field fence to make it 8-6.  But that would be as close as the Pacers would get as Tony Hanks struck out on three pitches to end the game.

Key had a good home debut for USC Aiken.  The freshman from Evans, GA (Greenbrier High School), was 3-for-4 with a double, one run scored, and one run batted in.

Heath Mason had a monster game for Carson Newman going 4-of-5 at the plate with two singles, one double, one triple, four runs scored, one run batted in, and also reaching on an error.  Jason Southerland was 2-of-4 with one double and three runs batted in for the Eagles.

Both teams will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday, February 9 at 2:00 PM.

Carson-Newman     411   010   100   -   8   9   2 
USC Aiken                 200   010   003   -   6   8   3