Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 AIKEN, SC--The second-ranked Kennesaw State Owls (19-5, 9-3 PBC) handed the USC Aiken Pacers (15-13, 3-8 PBC) a pair of tough 6-5 losses in a Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader Sunday afternoon at J.H. Satcher Field. The Owls have now beaten the Pacers nine-straight times.
In game one, USC Aiken twice held the lead but could not hold off a late charge by the Owls, falling 6-5 in the seven-inning game.
Ashley Farr (8) got the Pacers on the board in the first with a one-out solo home run over the left field wall.
KSU was held scoreless until the top of the third when they plated three runs on four hits and one Pacer error. Dustin Atkinson led off with a home run to left field to tie it at 1-1. Wes Newsome hit a one-out single and then scored following a single by Scott Conwayand a two-base error charged to center fielder
Clint Keown. Jon Love then doubled to left center to push across Conway as KSU claimed the 3-1 lead.
Wes McColl (4-3) went the distance for the Pacers scattering 10 hits, allowing six runs, but just two earned, on three walks and one strikeout. As a team, the Pacers committed five errors.
USCA then charged in front with two runs in the fifth.
Chris Sheehan singled home Drumming who led off with a double and then
Leroy Walker's sacrifice fly scored Sheehan to make it 5-3.
Two Pacer errors in the top of the sixth cost the team two runs and tied the game again at 5-5. In the top of the seventh, Clint Watters' RBI single to right field plated Conway with the game winner as the Pacers went down 1-2-3 in the seventh.
Adam Brandenburg lasted 4.0 innings giving up five earned runs on eight hits and two walks, striking out one in the no decision. Travis King tossed 1.1 innings of two-hit, shutout ball in notching the win for KSU.
Drumming went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Sheehan, Cunningham, and Hanks each tallied two hits for the Pacers.
Conway led the Owls going 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Watters and Jeremy Brotherton added two hits each.
In game two, the Pacers had to rally back to almost pulled off the upset. In the fourth and sixth innings, Kennesaw State had back-to-back home runs to pull out to a commanding 6-0 lead. In the fourth, it was Travis Evans and Scott Hendrix with solo shots and then in the sixth, Jon Love teamed up with Evans.
With just three hits through 5.0 innings off starter Kevin Poole, the Pacers' bats heated up in the sixth. With one out, USCA strung together five consecutive base hits to plate three and trim the margin to 6-3. Sheehan singled through the right side to score Farr andKeown. Cunningham then singled back up the middle to plate Drumming and cut the lead to three.
???????USCA got two more in the seventh when Farr doubled home Walker and Sheehan singled in Farr. The Pacers, however, could not push one across in the final two innings in falling 6-5.
Poole (4-1) surrendered four earned runs on nine hits, striking out five in 6.2 innings of work in the win. Jason Yarbrough (1) tossed the ninth for his first save.
For the Pacers,
Harold Sofield (0-3) surrendering three runs, two earned, on four hits and one walk in 3.1 innings of work in the loss.
Chris Wilson gave up three earned runs on two hits, three walks, and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief.
Nick Wandless gave the Pacers a chance for the comeback with his solid performance. He worked the final 4.0 innings allowing just one base runner, a one-out hit in
the ninth inning, while striking out four.
???????Keown and Farr each had three hits for USCA while Drumming and Sheehan added two hits. Evans led the Owls going 2-for-4 with two homers.
???????USC Aiken returns to action on Monday, March 17 when the Pacers host Barton College at 6:00 PM.
GAME ONE
#2 Kennesaw State 003 002 1 - 6 10 0
USC Aiken 102 020 0 - 5 12 5
GAME TWO
#2 Kennesaw State 001 203 000 - 6 7 0
USC Aiken 000 003 200 - 5 13 0
