Game One
Game Two
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The 16th-ranked USC Aiken
baseball team split a doubleheader with Peach Belt Conference East
division rival Armstrong Atlantic State on Saturday afternoon at
Pirate Field. The Pirates acquired a 4-3 win in the first game
before the Pacers obtained a 10-8 win in game two.
The split leaves the nationally-ranked Pacers at 28-15 on the
2010 season overall. USC Aiken concludes its 2010 Peach Belt
Conference campaign with a record of 15-9. Armstrong Atlantic State
is now 24-18 overall, which includes a 6-12 record in the PBC.
After not being able to plate a run in the first game, USC Aiken
opened Saturday's first game with two runs in the top of the
first inning. Bill Rice (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester County) singled
through the right side to start the frame for the Pacers. He was
then brought home on a triple by Nick Aranas (Lexington,
S.C./Lexington). Aranas was then able to come home to make the
score 2-0 on a Travis Howard (Bonneau, S.C./USC Salkehatchie)
single up the middle.
In the bottom of the second, Armstrong Atlantic State placed a
run on the scoreboard to cut the lead in half, but in the top of
the fifth, USC Aiken was able to obtain another run to push its
lead back to two runs at 3-1. Gary Asbill (Batesburg,
S.C./Batesburg-Leesville) acquired the RBI on the third run. He
brought in Rice, who singled to get on base before working his way
around the bases for the third run.
The Pirates were able to earn the victory with three runs in the
bottom of the ninth inning. Carlos Cardza-Oqundo scored the first
run of the frame for the Pirates when he scored on a balk by USC
Aiken reliever Chad Benefield (Dallas, Ga./Southern Union CC). A
couple batters later, Armstrong Atlantic State's John Roberts
singled up the middle to score Justin Wilson and even the game at
3-3. Roberts was shortly thereafter moved to second on a walk to
Cameron Scott. Josh Wilson then helped guide the Pirates into the
victory by forcing Aranas into an error that allowed Roberts to
score the game-winning run.
Jonathan Fulghum earned the win for the Pirates in game one to
move to 3-2 on the year. Benefield suffered the loss to fall to 0-2
on the season.
The Pacers finished the game one loss with one more hit than the
Pirates at 10-9. Four Pacers collected eight of the Pacers'
10 hits in the game with Rice, Aranas, Howard and Matt Key (New
Ellenton, S.C./Silver Bluff) all securing two hits in the loss.
Michael Price guided the Armstrong Atlantic State attack in game
one, finishing his efforts in the contest a perfect 3-for-3.
In the second game, Armstrong Atlantic State garnered an early
1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Pacers were able to
even the game in the top of the third inning. Josh Attaway
(Lexington, S.C./Lexington) obtained the tying run when he scored
on an RBI groundout by Rice. Attaway had singled up the middle to
open the third stanza in game two.
After Armstrong Atlantic State earned the run back in the bottom
portion of the third, USC Aiken would once again pull itself even
with the Pirates in the top of the fourth with a single run. Howard
commenced the inning by doubling down the left field line. He was
then brought home on a sacrifice fly by JJ Loker (Elkton,
Va./Spotswood) a couple batters later to tie the game at 2-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Armstrong Atlantic State looked as
if they were going to run away with the contest, posting four runs
in the bottom portion of the stanza to go up 6-2.
The Pacers would not let the four-run advantage last long,
scoring three runs of their own in the top half of the fifth to sit
behind just one at 6-5.
The bases juiced and with two outs on the scoreboard, Howard
picked up the first run of the inning for the Pacers when he
singled in Attaway. On the next at-bat by Asbill, Armstrong's
Atlantic's third baseman made an errant throw that allowed
Rice and Key to score.
After holding the Pirates scoreless in the bottom of the fifth,
USC Aiken would tie the contest at 6-6 in the top of the sixth on
an RBI double to right field by Key.
The Pacers would eventually score four overall in the top of the
sixth inning to own a 9-6 advantage. After Key's double and a
double by Rice, Aranas doubled to right field to bring in Rice and
Key. Aranas advanced to third base on a ground out by Howard and
then was able to secure the Pacers' a 9-6 lead by scoring on
a wild pitch.
After Armstrong Atlantic State was able to get one of the runs
back in the bottom of the seventh inning, USC Aiken went back up by
three in the top of the eighth. With two down in the inning, Rice
tripled and then was brought in by Aranas on an infield single. The
run acquired the Pacers a 10-7 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning the Pirates picked up a run and
threatened for more with the bases loaded and two outs, but USC
Aiken was up to the task with USC Aiken relief pitcher Tyler
Stephan (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) forcing Armstrong Atlantic State
pinch hitter Josh Heath to fly out to end the final threat of the
contest.
Thomas McLeod (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) picked up the win in relief
of starter Jason Cochcroft (Gilbert, S.C./Gilbert). McLeod pitched
three innings of relief to move to 4-4 on the year. Cory Dobbins
(Swansea, S.C./Mary Hardin Baylor) closed out the ninth to obtain
his second save of the season for the Pacers.
Armstrong Atlantic State starter Chris Base suffered the loss
for the Pirates to fall to 1-5 on the season.
The Pacers had three players conclude the second game with three
hits each with Rice, Aranas and Howard all finishing with three
hits. All three finished with five hits on Saturday.
USC Aiken will next travel to Catawba for a single
non-conference game at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 20.
