Box Score NEWBERRY, S.C.--USC Aiken (29-8) got solid pitching and another strong offensive output in dispatching the home-standing Newberry College Indians (15-27) 12-2 on Wednesday night in non-conference baseball action at Kirkland Field. With their sixth-straight win, the 10th ranked Pacers have won 18 of their last 20 and improve to 25-1 when scoring six or more runs.
Sophomore
Jon Paul (3-2) went a career-best 7.0 innings on the mound for USCA tossing a five-hit shutout, striking out five and not walking a batter in the win.
Ryan Mitchell and
Jonathan Ramada each pitched 1.0 inning of relief.
Darryl Pui was the offensive star for the Pacers going 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.
Zach Cooper was 2-for-5 and
Justin Williams 2-for-4 with the duo combining for three RBI and three runs scored.
Brandon Barenie and
Robert Davis also added two RBI each.
Marc Joehnk led off the second inning by getting hit by a pitch and promptly stole second. After back-to-back strikeouts, Pui delivered an RBI single to left field to put the Pacers on the board 1-0.
The Pacers opened the game up in the third with five runs on three hits and two Indian errors to stake a 6-0 advantage as Barenie and Williams smacked RBI doubles.
USCA tacked on three more in the fifth on RBI singles off the bats of Pui, Williams, and Cooper to make it 9-0.
Davis made his only hit of the night a big one in the eighth as he singled to right field with two on and two out plating Cooper and Pui. Matt Tripp followed up with an RBI single to left field to bring home Davis and set the margin at 12-0.
Dean Walker slapped a double to left center in the bottom of the eighth scoring Matt Awtrey and Anthony Dillenger for Newberry's only runs of the game. Dillenger was the only Indian with more than one hit on the night going 2-for-4.
Ty Rollins (2-4) lasted just 2.2 innings after surrendering six runs, five earned, on five hits and one walk, striking out three in the loss. In total, Newberry used seven pitchers on the night.
USC Aiken, winners of six-straight conference games, returns home to Roberto Hernandez Stadium to host archrival Augusta State on Saturday, April 9 in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM. The Pacers are currently tied with #3 North Florida atop the PBC standings.
#10 USC Aiken..........015 030 030 - 12 15 2
Newberry..................000 000 020 - 2 8 3
E - Tripp(2); Joehnk(9); T. McCord; J. Buckley; M. Webb. DP - USCA 1; Newberry 1. LOB - USCA 7; Newberry 6. 2B - Quartararo(12); Barenie(6); J. Williams(3); A. Dillenger; D. Walker. HBP - Kinney; Joehnk 2; J. Kinard. SB - Joehnk(9); Pui(13). CS - B. Brown.
