FLORENCE, S.C. – One year removed from rallying after an early loss in the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament, one run in the seventh inning cut the seventh-seeded University of South Carolina Aiken softball team's attempt at a second streak through the field in the 2011 PBC Softball Tournament short. The Pacers (26-16) fell 1-0 to the third-seeded Cougars of Columbus State (37-15) Friday night at Freedom Florence Athletic Facility.

Both teams struggled offensively as the game progressed through six and a half innings without a run scored. However, the Cougars would finally break through in the last of the seventh inning off a double and a bunt to continue on through the bottom half of the tournament bracket.

PBC Freshman of the Year India Kornegay (Eufaula, Ala./Eufaula) continued to impress by starting the game off strong, retiring the first three straight batters she faced in the game en route to fanning 12 batters total and giving up just one run and walking two. She falls to 13-8 for the season.

Erin Tyson retired four batters in the circle for Columbus State to earn the win and improve to 4-2 on the year.

The Cougars will now go on to face Flagler College Saturday, April 16 at 9 a.m. after the Saints fell to North Georgia in 15 innings prior to the Columbus State-USC Aiken game.

The Pacers now wait to see if they will earn a spot in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament. The Pacers are currently eighth in the most recent region standings.