Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken (21-7) pounded out 20 hits en route to romping past the visiting Limestone College Saints (19-15-1) 13-4 in non-conference baseball action on Thursday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. The 17th ranked Pacers won for the 10th time in their last 11 games and are now 17-0 when scoring six or more runs.
Daniel Quartararo doubled down the right field line and came around to score on
Robert Davis' sacrifice fly as USCA claimed the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Limestone knotted the game up at 1-1 in the third on an RBI single to right field by Matt Reel.
The Saints took their only lead of the game in the fourth when Taylor Cook doubled to center field bringing around Mitch House to make it 2-1. But the Pacers responded with five in the fourth keyed by a bases loaded double to right center off the bat of
Casey Derhak to push across three and make it 6-2. Derhak was 3-for-5 with four RBI and one run scored in extending his hitting streak to 13 games.
Davis capped off the three-run sixth inning with an RBI single to left field as USCA's advantage ballooned to 9-2.
James Edwards' pinch hit double down the left field line in the seventh tightened things up a bit drawing the Saints to within 9-4, but
Nick Wandless came on in relief of
Jon Paul to shut down the rally.
Paul (2-2) worked an effective 6.1 innings allowing four earned runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out four in the win. Wandless and Derhak combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief including four strikeouts.
Kevin Pucetas (4-4) lasted just 3.2 innings giving up six runs, five earned, on seven hits and one walk, fanning two in the loss for Limestone.
Mark Joehnk was a perfect 4-for-4 while Quartararo went 3-for-4 for the Pacers,
Darryl Pui was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and
Zach Cooper added a 2-for-4 night with a pair of RBI.
Matt Craig paced the Saints going 3-for-4 while Cook was 2-for-3 with one RBI.
One night after tying a school record with eight errors, the Pacer defense was flawless turning two double plays and not committing a single error.
USC Aiken will host #25 West Virginia State in a three-game series beginning tomorrow at 6:00 PM.
Limestone...............001 100 200 - 4 12 1
#17 USC Aiken.........100 503 13x - 13 20 0
E - Reel(1). DP - Saints 2; Pacers 2. LOB - Saints 7; Pacers 8. 2B - Edwards(3); Cook(3); Irby(6); Derhak(7); Quartararo(7). HBP - Kinney; Cooper. SH - Wise(2). SF - Davis(4). SB - Craig(10); Quartararo(2); Pui(10). CS - Edwards(1); Reel(3).
