AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team broke out the brooms Sunday afternoon, finishing off the sweep of Salem International at Roberto Hernandez Stadium with a 8-5 victory to finish the month of February on a seven-game winning streak.

The Pacers (11-2) outscored the Fighting Tigers (0-9) 43-12 over the three-game weekend series.

The Pacers never trailed in the final game, edging out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning before they slowly extended their lead with a steady production of hits and single run innings. USC Aiken produced four innings of single runs and then turned up the heat in the bottom of the eighth as four runners scored down the final stretch of the game.

Down 8-2, Kenneth Minor attempted to avoid the sweep in the top of the ninth inning as he ripped a three-run tater to pull Salem International back into contention, but it would be all for naught as the Pacer defense would step up behind closer Jeremy Smith to finish off the win.

Derek Beasley (Harlem, Ga./Harlem) registered seven solid innings on the mound for USC Aiken to secure the win and improve to 2-1 for the season. Smith (Minter, Ala./Southern Union) came in for the final two innings to register the save, his second of the season.

Myle Swartz fell to 0-3 on the hill for the Fighting Tigers after taking the loss in seven innings of work.

Matt Key (New Ellenton, S.C./Silver Bluff) and Kyle Rice (Augusta, Ga./Cross Creek) were the top producers at the dish for the Pacers as Key went a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Rice was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Lead off man Stephen Bellantoni (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter), second baseman Tyler Bourdo (Evans, Ga./Truett-McConnell) and Rice all scored two runs in USC Aiken's winning effort while Spencer Wolfe (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) registered two RBIs.

The Pacers will continue their season-beginning home stand with a single game on Wednesday, March 2 when the Tigers of Benedict College make their way to the 'Bert. USC Aiken and Benedict will play a 6 p.m. mid-week contest.