Box Score AIKEN, SC--USC Aiken (5-9) rallied from a 7-0 hole midway through Sunday's non-conference series finale with Catawba (11-8), but faltered in the eighth dropping the rubber game 10-9 at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
Ashley Farr led the Pacers at the plate going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI. Farr hit his first home run of the season with two outs in the fifth inning to make it 7-2 in favor of the Indians.
Bradley Key went 2-for-4 with three RBI while
Tony Hanks and
Bob Hatcher each added a pair of hits and two RBI.
Leading 1-0 in the third, Catawba pushed across four runs on four hits and one Pacer error to surge ahead 5-0. With one out, Scott Searles doubled and Spence Southard singled to bring up Jimbo Davis. Davis doubled to right center to plate two runs. Matt Smith tripled home Davis to cap off the inning. Davis finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI. Southard added a 3-for-5 day with one RBI and three runs scored.
USC Aiken, however, began chipping away at the 7-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on Hatcher's sacrifice fly. Farr's homer in the fifth made it 7-2. Hatcher then drove in
Derek Gordon in the sixth to draw one run closer.
The seventh was the big inning the Pacers needed. With two out and two on, Key singled down the right field line to score
Justin Williams.
Robert Davis pinch hit for Gordon and drew a walk to load the bases. Hanks singled up the middle to score Key and Farr and cut the margin to 7-6. Davis scored on a wild pitch by Zach Evans to tie the game at 7-7.
Catawba wasted no time responding, however. With one on and two outs in the eighth,
Peden Rucker had a 1-2 count on Southard. But the Indians' center fielder crushed a solo shot over the scoreboard in left field. Davis that with a blast to right field. Nick Lefko doubled home Smith in what proved to be the winning run 10-7.
Key's two-out single to left center plated two Pacers to slice the margin to 10-9 in the bottom of the eighth, but USCA was unable to mount a threat in the ninth.
Nick Wandless was chased after 3.0 innings allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits and one walk in the no-decision. Rucker (2-1) pitched 4.2 solid innings of relief, giving up three earned runs on five hits and two walks, striking out four in the loss.
Lee Cromer worked the final out of the eighth and
Wes McColl tossed a scoreless ninth.
For Catawba, Matt Fairweather picked up the no-decision after 6.0 innings of work surrendering three runs, two earned, on seven hits and three walks, striking out six. Nick Mayle was roughed up for four runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Evans (2-0) gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in 1.0 inning of work in the win while Brian Hatley (2) sat down all four batters he faced for his second save.
USC Aiken will host Anderson College on Wednesday, March 3 at 6:00 PM at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. Catawba plays at St. Andrews on Tuesday, March 2 at 2:00 PM.
Catawba.............014 200 030 - 10 13 3
USC Aiken..........000 111 420 - 9 12 4
