Box Score AIKEN, SC--Junior
Bradley Key became the first Pacer of the five-year
Kenny Thomas era to hit for the cycle on Wednesday night in USC Aiken's (19-14) 14-7 non-conference baseball win over North Greenville (10-18) at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. The 5-11 third baseman from Evans, Ga. (Greenbrier High School) registered a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in his four plate appearances, achieving a feat that is considered as rare as a no-hitter.
Along with raising his average to .402 on the season and recording five RBI and four runs scored on the night, with his triple off the top of the right field wall in the third inning, Key broke the school record for three-baggers in a season with his fifth.
USC Aiken picked up its fifth-straight win while improving to 5-0 all-time against the Crusaders. The Pacers, winners of eight of their last nine overall, have picked up victories in 12 of their last 14 games at the friendly confines.
North Greenville showed life in the first inning when Travis Brown led off the game with a hit-by-pitch, stole second, was moved to third on a ground out, and then scored on an RBI ground out by Jasteven Tate to make it 1-0.
The Pacers, however, rattled off 13 straight runs over the next three innings to put the game out of reach 13-1.
In a four-run first,
Robert Davis had a two-RBI single while Key doubled home Davis. Things got worse for the Crusaders in the second as the Pacers plated six more runs on four hits and four errors. Davis and
Bob Hatcher had RBI singles while Key (6) crushed his sixth homer of the season, a two-run blast, over the left field wall.
Brandon Barenie and
Daniel Quartararo both scored from third base on throwing errors by the catcher.
Davis finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Hatcher, Quartararo, and
Zach Cooper each added 2-for-5 nights combining for five runs.
Tate led North Greenville with a 3-for-5 performance with one RBI and two runs scored. Stephen Smith, Philip Dugas, and Nick Pinckey added two hits each.
North Greenville had their big inning in the fifth with four runs on five hits sending nine batters to the plate. Dugas delivered the big blow, an RBI double to right center with the bases loaded. Pinckey added an RBI single to make it 13-5.
Tony Hanks' RBI single back up the middle scored Key in the fifth to extend the margin to 14-5.
Jerod Summer (3-1) went 6.0 innings scattering seven hits, allowing five earned runs while fanning six in the win.
Trey Williams,
Paul Ferrell, and
Chris Wilson worked the final 3.0 innings in relief.
Dylan Davidson (0-1) did not make it out of the second surrendering nine runs, six earned, on five hits, striking out three of the four batters he retired. Stephen Ratliff gave up five more runs, four earned, on six hits and one walk in 2.2 innings. Jarrett Jernigan closed out the final 4.0 innings holding the Pacers to no runs on two hits and three walks.
USC Aiken and North Greenville will close out their two-day series tomorrow, April 1 at 6:30 PM at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
North Greenville.......100 040 200 - 7 10 6
USC Aiken..................463 010 00x - 14 15 3
E - Brown; Shealy; Broadway 2; Rochester; Leonard; Farr; Key; Calhoun. DP - Crusaders 1. LOB - Crusaders 10; Pacers 12. 2B - St. Smith; Key(14). 3B - Tate; Key(5). HR - Key(6). HBP - Brown; Dimarco; Pinckey; Farr; Davis; Sheehan. SB - Brown; Quartararo(5); Barenie(5).
