Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken (24-6) erupted for 10 runs on seven hits in the seventh inning to blow open a competitive 8-6 game en route to notching a 20-7 win over Anderson (18-21) in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday evening at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. In snapping their three-game losing streak, the 16th-ranked Pacers got six RBI in the seventh inning from slugger
Chris Sheehan highlighted by a two-out grand slam.
The Trojans led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the second following a bases-loaded walk to Josh Grubbs. Still with no outs in the inning, however, Don Ballard tried to tag and score from third on B.J. Smith's shallow fly ball to
Zach Cooper in center field. Cooper's one-hopper to
Josh Eachues at the plate gunned down Ballard and short-circuited a potential big inning for Anderson.
USCA responded with three in the home half of the second keyed by a two-out single to left field off the bat of
Chad Jacobsen driving in
Darryl Pui and
Matt Spivey to make it 4-2 Pacers. The Pacers would never trail again.
Jessie Whiteside had a big night for the Trojans going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a two-run homer over the left field wall in the fifth to draw Anderson within two at 8-6. Smith added a 2-for-5 evening with two RBI and one run scored from the lead-off spot.
But after two scoreless innings, the Pacers exploded in the seventh. Back-to-back bunt singles by
Ben Tankersley and
Nick Ogurchak set up an RBI double to right center by Sheehan. Eachues later tripled in the inning, plating two more, while Sheehan finished off the rout with a grand slam over the wall in right. It was the ninth home run of the season for the Peach Belt Conference's leading long-ball hitter. Six RBI in an inning is an unofficial record, just one shy of the school mark for RBI in an entire game.
Twelve Pacers had hits in the game with 11 scoring runs. Seven USC Aiken hitters notched multiple-hit nights while eight drove in at least one RBI.
Edwin Keeler (1-1) came on in the fifth inning in relief of starter
Jonathan Bolt and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three for his first career win.
Kaleb Davis (1-2) suffered the loss for Anderson after surrendering five runs, three earned, on five hits and three walks in 2.1 innings.
USC Aiken will host North Greenville tomorrow at 6:00 PM at Roberto Hernandez Stadium. Anderson, who saw its four-game winning streak halted, returns home to host Southern Wesleyan tomorrow at 6:00 PM.
Anderson.................020 220 010 - 7 14 1
#16 USC Aiken.........131 300 (10)2x - 20 20 1
E - K. Davis(1); Cooper(1). DP - Pacers 2. LOB - Trojans 10; Pacers 14. 2B - T. Graham(8); J. Whiteside 2(11); B. Carson(9); D. Ballard(1); J. Harrison(6); Sheehan 2(10); Eachues(4); Joehnk(5); Franklin(1); Cooper(7); Key, M.(1). 3B - Eachues(2). HR - J. Whiteside(3); Sheehan(9). HBP - J. White; Tankersley; Jacobsen; Ogurchak; Cooper 2. SH - Spivey(6).
