Box Score AIKEN, SC--The USC Aiken offense erupted for 15 runs on 16 hits as the Pacers (23-19, 8-12 PBC) downed their archrivals, the Augusta State Jaguars (22-18, 10-13 PBC), 15-9 in the Peach Belt Conference baseball series finale. USCA hit five home runs in the game en route to capturing the series with the Jags for the third-straight year (8-1).
In the fifth inning, with one on and one out,
Demetrick Drumming hit a two-run homer over the left field wall to make it 13-5 Pacers. More significantly, however, was the fact that the home run,
Drumming's 10th on the season, gives him 27 in his two-year Pacer career and ties him for the school's NCAA career mark set by
Adam Riggs (1993-94).
Mike Ross also hit his first career home run to lead off the inning.
In the third inning, it was
Tony Hanks and
Casey Calhoun blasting shots over the left field fence. Following a leadoff single by
Chris Sheehan,
Hanks hit his 10th long ball of the season.
Calhoun stepped up with
Justin Williams on first base and one out and belted his second dinger of the season to make it 7-1.
Sheehan and
Ashley Farr, a front runner for the PBC Player of the Year award, both went 4-for-4 on the day and combined for three RBI and six runs scored.
Farr upped his league leading batting average to .515.
Drumming and
Ross each finished with two hits as well.
Sheehan's homer in the seventh marked the fifth one of the day for the Pacers, one short of the school record set in 1998 versus Catawba and tied last season in a 20-5 win over Southern Indiana.
Another key early hit for the Pacers came off the bat of
Williams in the fourth inning. Leading 7-5, USCA loaded the bases with no outs, but could not score. With two outs and a 2-2 count,
Williams slapped a double to center field clearing the bases and giving the Pacers some breathing room once again at 10-5.
Wes McColl (6-4) worked 8.0 effective innings scattering 13 hits, allowing nine runs, all earned, walking two and striking out one in the win.
Mike Pomaville came on to work the ninth giving up two hits and striking out two.
Andy Hudson had a big day for the Jaguars finishing 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.
John Graham was 2-for-4 with two doubles while
Bennett Mayfield added a 2-for-4 day driving in three RBI.
Sam Barth hit a late homer, a solo shot to open the sixth inning, and finished 2-for-5.
Greg Thomas (5-3) lasted just 3.2 innings allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on 10 hits and four walks, striking out four in the loss.
Wes Ward worked 0.2 of an inning in relief surrendering three earned runs on four hits.
Tom Dimitroff tossed 2.2 innings giving up two earned runs on two hits and one walk while
Preston Crews faced the minimum in the eighth.
USC Aiken closes out its five-game home stand on Wednesday, April 9 when the Pacers host Limestone College at J.H. Satcher with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM.
Augusta State 010 401 030 - 9 15 1
USC Aiken 304 330 20x - 15 16 1
