AIKEN, S.C. – With the score tied at four in the eighth inning, Kyle Rice and the University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team (14-9) mounted a late scoring drive to claim their first win in seven outings as they downed the Trojans of Anderson University (11-16) 8-4 Wednesday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The Pacers were able to take an early 1-0 lead in the opening inning, but struggled to hold the advantage as the Trojans scored two runs in the top of the next inning.

Neither team proved dominant in the early going as Anderson knotted the score at four-all in the top of the seventh inning, but USC Aiken was not about to settle for their seventh loss in a row.

Rice (Augusta, Ga./Cross Creek) spurred the Pacers ahead of the Trojans in the bottom of the eighth as he knocked in Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) for Miller's second score of the game. The run not only broke the tie, but it proved to be the game-winner to end USC Aiken's six-game losing skid.

Not content with a one-run lead, the Pacers tacked on three more insurance runs before the third out to clinch the victory with Rice, JJ Loker (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) and Jowan Gray (Aiken, S.C./South Aiken) all finding pay dirt on the other side of the plate to put USC Aiken up for good at 8-4.

Stephen Bellantoni (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter) led the way at the plate for USC Aiken, going 4-for-5 with one run scored and an RBI. Gray was not far off his mark with a 3-for-5 performance including two runs and an RBI of his own.

Jeremy Smith (Minter, Ala./Southern Union) claimed the Pacer victory on the mound to improve to 3-0 for the season after coming into the game to relieve starter Jason Cochcroft. Cochcroft (Gilbert, S.C./Gilbert) pitched six solid innings, fanning seven batters.

Anderson utilized what appeared to be their entire bullpen, nine pitchers before it was all said and done, but it was Justin Rogers who suffered the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year.

The Pacers will now hit the road for a season-high eight road games that begins with a Peach Belt Conference three-game weekend set against national No. 7 UNC Pembroke starting this Saturday, March 19. USC Aiken and the Braves will start things off with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will close out their series with a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 20.