AIKEN, S.C. – The 20^th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team opened its 2011 season on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader split with visiting Lincoln Memorial at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The Pacers fell 5-1 to the Railsplitters in game one before regrouping for a 12-8 victory in the second game.

Both teams are now 1-1 on the 2011 season. They will play the rubber match of their scheduled three-game set at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 6 at the 'Bert. The game will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com.

Game Two (#20 USC Aiken 12, Lincoln Memorial 8)

Lincoln Memorial looked as if it may pick up a twinbill split in the early goings of the second game, owning a 2-0 lead after two innings.

Things changed in the Pacers' favor in the bottom of the third inning as the Pacers plated four runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 4-2 lead.

Named a Newcomer to Watch by the American Baseball Coaches Association prior to the start of the 2011 spring season, USC Aiken lead-off hitter Stephen Bellantoni (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter CC) started off what would turn into a tremendous game for him by acquiring USC Aiken's first two runs of the game on a double to left centerfield.

Preseason All-Peach Belt Conference performer Stephen Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden) promptly tripled in Bellantoni to give the Pacers their first lead of the day at 3-2. With only one out on the board, Pacer designated hitter Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) then grounded out to the Lincoln Memorial shortstop to bring in Carmon for a 4-2 Pacer lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, USC Aiken would add another run on a double to left centerfield to bring in Pacer catcher Kyle Rice (Augusta, Ga./Cross Creek). The run left the Pacers ahead 5-2 entering the top of the fifth inning.

The top of the sixth inning saw Lincoln Memorial score three runs to even the game at 5-5. USC Aiken made sure that the game would not stay tied for long, scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.

Bellantoni brought in two of the four runs in the inning on a double to left field. USC Aiken first baseman JJ Loker (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) then singled through right side a couple batters later to bring in four runs and garner the Pacers a 9-5 lead.

USC Aiken and Lincoln Memorial would each score three runs over the next three innings, but USC Aiken would hold on for the four-run win.

There would be one more moment in the game that would erase any doubts of the Pacers not emerging with the win.

The score 10-8 in USC Aiken's favor with two outs in the top half of the eighth inning, Pacer freshman right-handed pitcher Taylor Grover (North Augusta, S.C./Midland Valley) stopped Lincoln Memorial's momentum in the frame by striking out the Railsplitters' Eric Kitts to end the inning.

The Pacers would add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for insurance, but Grover would then pitch a scoreless ninth to acquire the save since he came in prior to the final two runs of the game for USC Aiken.

USC Aiken's Steven Spire (Swansea, S.C./Swansea)claimed the win on the mound in one inning of relief of Pacer starter Jason Cochcroft (Gilbert, S.C./Gilbert). Lincoln Memorial's Brandon Cowan took the loss in relief of starter Andy Fennell.

Bellantoni was the top performer for USC Aiken in game two, finishing 3-for-6 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Rice was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while newcomer Tyler Bourdo (Evans, Ga./Truet-McConnell) was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Lincoln Memorial had two players finish with three hits each with Juan Alvarez and John Couch both going 3-for-5. Alvarez had three RBIs, while Couch had three RBIs and a run scored.

The two teams combined for 25 hits in game two with USC Aiken collecting 11 of the 25 hits.

Game One (Lincoln Memorial 5, #20 USC Aiken 1)

The first game on Saturday began with Lincoln Memorial taking an early 3-0 lead in the top half of the second inning.

Playing behind the dish in the first game, Miller tried to place the Pacers back in the game in the bottom half of the second by belting a solo home run to left field.

The run would prove to be all that the Pacers would be able to muster as Lincoln Memorial would add two more in obtaining the four-run win. One of the two runs came off the bat of Cody Pack, who collected a home run of his own in the top half of the sixth inning.

USC Aiken finished the game with one more hit than the Railsplitters at 7-6.

Miller was the only player on either team to pick up multiple hits in game one as he was 3-for-4 with one run scored and an RBI.