Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 AIKEN, SC--USC Aiken (3-7, 1-4 PBC) and Columbus State (4-7, 3-2 PBC) split a Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. The Cougars won a pitchers duel in game one 4-2 while the Pacers took the nightcap 7-4. 

Game one marked another first in Roberto Hernandez Stadium history, the first ever conference game at the ballpark. Starting pitcher Brian Baker and Steve Dunham made it a memorable one combining for 26 strikeouts. 

USCA got on the board in the first after Daniel Quartararo led off the game with a single to right field. Brandon Barenie reached on a bunt single but a throwing error on third baseman Nick Shay allowed Quartararo to come around and score. 

CSU took the lead in the top of the second on one hit, one walk, one hit batter, and one Pacer error. David Brown's one-out double with the bases empty was the only hit of the inning. The Cougars plated two runs following a fielding error on Dunham to go ahead 2-1. 

Garrett Groce led off the third inning with a single to center field and came around to score on a fielding error by shortstop Tony Hanks. Groce led the Cougars at the plate going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and four stolen bases. 

Larry Pittmon tacked on the game's final run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh to set the final margin at 4-2. 

Baker (2-0) went the distance allowing two unearned runs on five hits and three walks, striking out 14. 

Dunham (0-3) gave up four runs, one earned, on five hits and five walks, striking out 12. Jamie Langford worked a hitless ninth inning in relief. 

In game two, the Pacers pounded out five hits and capitalized on two Cougar errors in the first inning to plate five runs and hold on for the 7-4 win. 

CSU took advantage of three Pacer errors in the top of the first to push across a pair of runs with Groce's single to right field as the only hit of the inning. 

Robert Davis and Bradley Key had RBI singles in the first inning while Tony Hanks added a sacrifice fly as the Pacers pushed in front 5-2. 

USCA added one more in the third as Zach Cooper's RBI single plated Justin Williams to make it 6-2. 

Columbus State scored two in the top of the sixth as an RBI single by Billy Howard drew the Cougars within two at 6-4. But another Davis RBI single, this time scoring Quartararo who doubled, set the final margin at 7-4. 

Derek Claussen worked 3.0 innings allowing two unearned runs on four hits and three walks in the no decision. Wes McColl (1-1) evened his record with the win after tossing 3.1 innings of relief, surrendering two unearned runs on four hits and one strikeout. Lee Cromer (1) recorded the final two outs in the seventh for his first save since 2001. 

Nolan Pendleton (1-2) allowed six runs, three earned, on eight hits and three walks in the loss for Columbus State. 

USC Aiken and Columbus State will play the final game of the series on Sunday, February 22 at 1:00 PM. 

GAME ONE
Columbus State......021 000 100 - 4 5 4
USC Aiken................100 100 000 - 2 5 2

GAME TWO
Columbus State......200 202 0 - 4 8 2
USC Aiken.................501 001 x - 7 11 4