Box Score AMERICUS, Ga.--Georgia Southwestern (12-17, 6-9 PBC) scored six runs in the opening two innings and held off 16th-ranked USC Aiken (25-12, 11-7 PBC) for the 9-5 win in Peach Belt Conference baseball action on Sunday afternoon at Hurricane Field. In the first-ever meeting between the programs, Georgia Southwestern completed the three-game sweep, knocking the Pacers from second to fourth in the league standings.
USC Aiken has lost six-straight conference games, their longest such skid in a single season since dropping seven-in-a-row in 2001.
D.J. Decker put the Hurricanes on the board in the first inning with a two-run homer, capping a three-run first frame. Georgia Southwestern doubled their lead to 6-0 in the second keyed by two RBI driven in by a Decker double. He finished 2-for-3 with four RBI.
Chad Jacobsen slapped a two-out single in the third, plating
Marc Joehnk to make it 6-1.
Trailing 7-2 in the seventh, the Pacers posted a three-run inning keyed by two-out homers by Jacobsen (6) and
Ken Raborn (4). Jacobsen finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored while Raborn added a 3-for-4 day.
With the deficit reduced to 7-5, however, the Hurricanes responded with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to push it out to 9-5 lead.
Patrick McCarthy chipped in a 3-for-3 performance for Georgia Southwestern.
Beau Hill (5-2) was chased after 1.2 innings of work allowing six runs, three earned, on seven hits and one walk, striking out two in the loss.
Colin Duffie (2-4) notched the win for the Hurricanes scattering eight hits and four walks, allowing five earned runs and fanning two in 6.2 innings. Brandon Reeder (1) pitched a perfect 2.1 innings of relief for the save.
USC Aiken will play at Newberry in a non-conference contest on Wednesday, April 4 at 6:30 PM.
#16 USC Aiken...................001 001 300 - 5 8 2
Ga. Southwestern............330 010 20x - 9 12 0
E - Eachues(4); Hill, B.(3). DP - Hurricanes 2. LOB - Pacers 6; Hurricanes 6. 2B - Trenary; Rice; Decker; McCarthy. HR - Jacobsen(6); Raborn(4); Decker. HBP - Cooper. SF - Eachues(2); Hutchison; McCarthy. CS - Height; Mullis.
