Box Score AIKEN, SC--USC Aiken (29-25, 11-17 PBC) built a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning and held off a late Pirate rally to defeat Armstrong Atlantic State (28-26, 9-19 PBC) 3-2 in their Peach Belt Conference baseball series opener on Friday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. Nearly 400 fans turned out for part of The Aiken Standard's "Fan Appreciation Weekend" celebration. 

Steve Dunham (4-9) tossed a complete game win for the Pacers in shutting down the Pirates offense. The 6-2 right-hander allowed just one earned run on four hits, striking out eight and walking one. 

After Adam Pelley led off the game by reaching on an error, George Fletcher made the Pacers pay for their miscue with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. 

USCA countered with one in the home half of the first when Bradley Key (22) doubled to center field scoring Tony Hanks who had led off the inning with a two-bagger to right field. Hanks, playing in his 181st game as a Pacer, broke that career mark (since the Pacers joined the NCAA in 1992). 

Bob Hatcher doubled home Mike Cunningham in the second inning to give the Pacers a 2-1 advantage, one they would never relinquish. Cunningham drew a bases loaded walk in the fifth plating Key to make it 3-1. 

Jon Dobyns (6-6) tossed 7.0 innings for AASU giving up three earned runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out four in the loss. Zach Shelnutt struck out two of the three batters he faced in working the eighth. 

With one out in the eighth, Steven Kenney (5) sparked the Pirates with a solo homer over the right field wall to draw his team within one run. It was the first hit allowed by Dunham since the first inning. 

Kyle Craven then slapped a pinch hit double just inside the left field line and Pelley followed with a single to right field. With runners on the corners and one out, trailing 3-2 in the eighth, AASU chose the squeeze play with Rob Recuenco at the plate. His bunt was straight back to Dunham on the mound whose throw to Hatcher at the plate resulted in an easy out. Michael Pelley then grounded out unassisted to Robert Davis at first to end the threat. 

Key went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored to lead USCA. After missing the last three games with an injury, Daniel Quartararo was 2-for-3 at the plate. 

Adam Pelley, Michael Pelley, Kinney, and Craven each had one of the Pirates four hits on the evening. 

USC Aiken and AASU will play a season-ending doubleheader on Saturday, May 8 starting at 5:00 PM. In pregame "Senior Day" festivities, USCA will honor Wes McColl, Mike Cunningham, Ashley Farr, Chad McMurray, and Tony Hanks. 

Armstrong Atl. State..........100 000 010 - 2 4 0
USC Aiken.............................110 010 00x - 3 9 2

E - Key; Barenie. DP - Pirates 1; Pacers 1. LOB - Pirates 4; Pacers 9. 2B - Craven(3); Hanks(10); Key(22); Hatcher(6). HR - Kinney(5). HBP - A. Pelley. SH - Recuenco(14); Barenie 2(8). SF - Fletcher(5). CS - M. Pelley.