Box Score KINSTON, N.C.--Scott Wandless tossed a complete-game, seven-hitter and #27 USC Aiken (39-22) pounded out 15 hits in upsetting 14th-ranked and second-seeded Columbus State (43-18) 6-1 on Thursday evening in the opening round of the 2007 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional at Grainger Stadium. The fifth-seeded Pacers notch their first opening round NCAA win since 1993, the last time they won the region title and advanced to the Division II College World Series.

USC Aiken entered the game 0-3 against the Cougars and had dropped seven of their last eight meetings between the programs, but with the win advance in the winner's bracket to face third-seeded Georgia College & State on Friday at 7:00 PM. GCSU downed Armstrong Atlantic State 6-3. CSU will square off against the loser of the Mount Olive versus Virginia State match-up, also tomorrow, at 11:00 AM.

"It goes without saying Scott [Wandless] pitched extremely well. He had all three of his pitches today and kept control of the game," said USC Aiken head coach Kenny Thomas. "Scoring the two runs in the first inning was big for us. We also made some really good defensive plays."

Over his 9.0 innings of work, Wandless (7-2) threw 147 pitches, scattering seven hits and allowing just one run. In his first complete game of the season, the junior from Evans, Ga. fanned five and walked four, earning his first victory since March 17.

"We played well together as a team," said Wandless. "We played great defense, got some big double plays, and swung the bats well."

No Pacer swung the bat better than Ken Raborn. The sophomore third baseman picked up where he left off after a torrid Peach Belt Conference Tournament last weekend, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and one run scored.

Raborn got a two-run first inning underway with a one-out single to center field. With two on and two outs, Josh Eachues singled deep in the hole to shortstop, plating Raborn as USCA grabbed the 1-0 lead. Chad Jacobsen, who also singled in the inning, came around to score when CSU starter Jarrett Coker was called for a balk.

The Pacers extended their lead in the fourth to 4-0 with two more two-out RBI. Matt Spivey reached on an infield bunt, stole second, and scored on Darryl Pui's double over the head of a leaping Billy Howard at first base. Pui and Spivey each finished with two hits, one RBI, and one run scored. Jacobsen added a two-hit game while Eachues finished 2-for-5 and Ben Tankersley went 2-for-3.

The Cougars best threat for a big inning came in the bottom of the fourth as walks to Brad Linton and Howard sandwiched a Rodney Rutherford strikeout. David Brown, however, grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

CSU broke up the shutout in the sixth inning with a two-out, base hit to center field by Brown scoring Linton from second. Linton was the lone Cougar with more than one hit on the afternoon going 2-for-3.

After tacking on two insurance runs in the top of the eighth to extend the lead to 6-1, the Pacers used another superb double play highlighted by a nice pivot at second by shortstop Marc Joehnk to neutralize the threat in the bottom of the eighth.

Coker (9-3) surrendered four earned runs on 10 hits, striking out two in 4.2 innings in the loss.

"Another tough Peach Belt team, it doesn't get any easier," said Thomas in looking ahead to Friday night's match-up with GCSU. "We go through this every weekend in the PBC. But when you get to the regional tournament, anyone you are getting ready to play is good."

#27 USC Aiken.......................200 200 020 - 6 15 1
#14 Columbus State..............000 001 000 - 1 7 1

E - Raborn(20); Brown. DP - Pacers 2; Cougars 1. LOB - Pacers 8; Cougars 9. 2B - Pui(20); Linton. SH - Tankersley(16). SB - Tankersley(18); Cooper(5); Spivey(3); Linton. CS - Raborn(2).