Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--
Scott Wandless threw five innings of one-hit baseball and senior
Marc Joehnk had a pair of RBI singles as #13 USC Aiken (13-3) recorded an 8-2 victory over visiting Chowan University (10-6) in game one of a two-game non-conference set Friday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
Wandless (4-0) battled through some control issues, but the left-hander allowed just one hit and no earned runs while striking out eight to earn the victory for the Pacers.
The USCA offense was not as explosive as in recent games, but pushed across at least one run in four innings. They could have scored more runs against a Chowan pitching staff that walked nine Pacers, but the hosts left 10 men on base.
The Pacers scored their first run in the second on an RBI groundout by
Zach Cooper and pushed across two more in both the fourth and fifth innings to have a 5-0 advantage by the time Wandless left after five.
Matt Spivey,
Darryl Pui, and Joehnk had RBI singles while Josh Eachus had a sacrifice fly to plate the runs.
Wandless struck out the side in the fourth, and then worked himself out of a bases-loaded jam after three walks in the fifth by striking out Matt Bullock with two outs.
USCA pushed across three more runs in the bottom of the seventh on just one hit. The Pacers drew three walks in the frame and benefited from an error and a wild pitch. Joehnk had his second RBI single in the inning.
Sophomore
Houston Taylor pitched two innings of scoreless relief and junior
Ryan Mitchell pitched a hitless eighth inning for the Pacers. Senior closer
Gary Lee gave up his first earned run of the season in the ninth as Chowan plated two runners to spoil the shutout. Only one of the two runs was earned.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 PM.
Chowan......... 000 000 002 - 2 5 2
USC Aiken..... 010 220 30X - 8 8 2
Win – Wandless (4-0); Loss – Humphrey (2-2)
E - Ortiz, J.(2); Hamlett, B.(6); Montgomery(3); Joehnk(4). LOB - Hawks 12; Pacers 10. 2B - Jacobsen(6). HBP - Jacobsen. SH - Joehnk(5). SF - Eachues(1). SB - Kellett, M.(1); Hamlett, B.(5); Tankersley(7); Jacobsen(4).
