Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--Ninth-ranked USC Aiken (23-6) awakened for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to open up a one-run game, pulling away to the 7-1 victory over Barton College (17-20) in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. Three Pacer pitchers combined to hold the potent Bulldog line-up to one-hit keyed by
Jonathan Bolt's 7.0 innings.
USC Aiken picks up its sixth-straight win and have now won nine of their last 10 games. The Pacers have notched four-consecutive victories against Barton and improve to 12-4 all-time against the South Atlantic Region foe.
Darryl Pui led off the first inning with a double down the left field line and later scored on a
Chad Jacobsen sacrifice fly. Pui had a big night for the Pacers going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI in addition to stealing two bases. Jacobsen tacked on a 2-for-4 night with two RBI and one run scored.
Ryan McCleney singled through the left side to start the third inning for Barton, marking the only hit of the game for the Bulldogs. After a sac bunt and a wild pitch moved McCleney to third, he scored on an RBI groundout to shortstop by Travis Holloman to knot the game at 1-1.
USC Aiken regained the lead in the fifth on an RBI single to center field by Pui that plated
Marc Joehnk to make it 2-1.
In the seventh, the Pacers pushed across four runs on three hits and two key Bulldog errors to open up a 6-1 advantage. Following a leadoff walk to
Matt Spivey,
John Sherrer and Pui each reached on sacrifice bunts that were botched by Barton. Jacobsen and
Ken Raborn added RBI singles while
Ben Tankersley registered a sac fly.
Tankersley finished 0-for-2 but did have two RBI on a pair of sacrifice flies. Sherrer finished 1-for-3 while scoring twice and
Zach Cooper had a multiple-hit game going 2-for-4.
Bolt (4-0) held Barton to one hit and four walks, striking out five in 7.0 innings for the win.
Adam Lovelace and
Gary Lee each tossed an inning of perfect relief.
Brent Godwin (2-5) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits and two walks, striking out two in 6.0 innings of work.
USC Aiken will host rival USC Upstate in a key Peach Belt Conference showdown this weekend at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1:00 PM. Barton returns home to Wilson, N.C. to host #20 Mount Olive in a CVAC twinbill, also on Saturday, starting at 12:00 PM.
Barton....................001 000 000 - 1 1 4
#9 USC Aiken........100 010 41x - 7 11 0
E - Metzinger, J 2(5); Godwin, B. 2(2). LOB - Bulldogs 4; Pacers 8. 2B - Pui(10); Jacobsen(12); Cooper(6). SH - Johnson, W.(2); Pui(1); Spivey(4); Sherrer(4). SF - Tankersley 2(2); Jacobsen(3). SB - Boyette, Z.(9); Pui 2(9).
