Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken won for the first time ever at Roberto Hernandez Stadium, the new home for the Pacer baseball team. USCA began the season with three straight home field losses but defeated Lincoln Memorial University, 6-4, today to improve to 1-3 overall. The Railsplitters fall to 1-1 on the season.

The Pacers scored in the first inning, and played solid defense for the entire game, for the first time this season. After committing four errors in each of their last two games, the Pacers made just one miscue today.

Zach Cooper led off USC Aiken's half of the first with a triple to right center field. Two batters later, with runners at second and third, Daniel Quartararo singled in the first run of the game. Bradley Key's bases clearing triple extended the USCA lead to 3-0. With one out, Robert Davis knocked in Key for the fourth run of the first inning.

Lincoln Memorial fired back in the top of the third inning. A single and back-to-back walks with one out by USCA starter Derek Claussen loaded the bases for LMU's Matt O'Brien. The freshman singled to center field to plate LMU's first run of the game. Matt Meachen, the very next batter, closed the gap to one run with a two-RBI single up the middle.

Claussen pitched three and two-thirds innings, allowed three runs on three hits, walked three batters and struck out three.

The Pacers extended the lead in the home half of the third. With a runner on, Davis drove the ball over the left field wall for his first homerun of the season and the second ever at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. The USC Aiken catcher finished the game with two hits in three at bats, one run scored and three RBIs.

Freshman Peden Rucker came on to pitch for USCA with a runner on second and two outs in the fourth. The Lexington, S.C., native got Wes Strader to go down looking to get out of the inning. Rucker pitched the final five and one-third innings, scattered four hits, allowed one run and struck out two on his way to earning his first collegiate win.

A two-out RBI double in the eighth by Johnson Whitehead allowed the Railsplitters to draw within two runs. But Rucker got the next batter to ground out and then retired the side in order in the ninth to secure USC Aiken's first win of the season.

Cooper and Key, along with Davis, each had two hits in the game. As a team USCA pounded out a season-high nine hits. Key finished two-for-four with a run scored and two RBIs. Each of the first six batters in head coach Kenny Thomas' line-up scored one run.

The Pacers and Railsplitters will finish their three game series tomorrow. The first pitch at Roberto Hernandez Stadium on the USC Aiken campus is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. 

Lincoln Memorial 003 000 010 - 4 7 2
USC Aiken 402 000 00X - 6 9 1