Box Score AIKEN, SC--Scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth lifted the 20th ranked USC Aiken Pacers (34-18, 14-13 PBC) to a dramatic 9-7 upset victory over third-ranked North Florida (34-11, 21-6 PBC) in the Peach Belt Conference series finale on "Senior Day" at J.H. Satcher Field on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Pacers take the series 2-1 marking the Osprey's first PBC series loss in three years, a span of 29 straight series. UNF last dropped two of three versus a conference opponent against Kennesaw State on April 24 and 25, 1999.
Trailing 7-6 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the situation looked ominous for the Pacers.
Clint Keown grounded out to
Ryan Knight at second base to open the inning.
Leroy Walker grounded out to
Ryan Soelig at shortstop for out number two. Representing the final out,
Ashley Morgan stepped to the plate and slapped a double down the right field line to give USCA new life.
That brought to the plate All-Conference player
Tavis Cummings. Instead of putting
Cummings on with the intentional pass, UNF head coach
Dusty Rhodes decided to pitch to the senior from Thomson, GA. With two strikes on him,
Cummings knocked a single through the right side of the infield scoring
Morgan from second with the game tying run. Electing to stick with
Tod Ewasko,
Rhodeshad his All-American pitcher face the conference's leading home run hitter in
Demetrick Drumming. He crushed a two-run blast over the right field wall for the walk-off game winner, his 17th homer of the season.
On the day,
Drumming was 3-for-4 with three RBI, giving him 71 on the season, breaking the school record of 68 set by
Adam Riggsin 1994.
Ashley Farr, who was 2-for-4, hit his 13th long ball of the season driving in four runs on the afternoon and broke the record for total bases in a season with 152.
USCA grabbed the early lead with four unearned runs in the bottom of the first to make it 4-1. After the Ospreys added two in the fourth to draw within one,
Drumming hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth to plate
Walker while
Farr singled home
Morgan to push it back to a 6-3 margin. Up 6-4 in the eighth, reliever
Matt Ockuly gave up a three-run bomb to
Edward Conrey that gave North Florida a 7-6 lead. The designated hitter was 2-for-5 on the day with three RBI and two runs scored.
Ewasko (9-2) went 8.2 innings allowing nine runs, three earned, on nine hits and two walks while striking out five in the loss.
Paul Ferrell started the game for USCA put lasted just 3.2 innings giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits and four walks.
Lee Cromer came on with bases loaded and two outs in the fourth to get
Conrey to foul out to
Bradley Key at third base to end the threat.
Cromer worked 2.2 innings surrendering one earned run on five hits.
David Caison (4-0) got the final out of the eighth and then worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his fourth win of the season.
On "Senior Day",
Cummings went 2-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored while
Kyle Langley was 0-for-2. Senior pitchers
Mitch Hearne and
Andy Mitchell did not see action.
USC Aiken will play their final home game of 2002 on Tuesday, April 23 at 6:00 PM when they host Brewton-Parker in non-conference action.
???????#3 North Florida 100 200 130 - 7 11 4
#20 USC Aiken 400 020 003 - 9 9 3
