AIKEN, S.C. – For the third time this season, left-handed junior pitcher Thomas McLeod fanned more than eight batters to lead the University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team (29-20) to a victory over the Flying Fleet of Erskine (27-23) 7-5 Friday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

Stephen Carmon led the Pacers' efforts at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with a run scored and one RBI. Josh Attaway was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

Spurred by a first inning home run by Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden) over the outstretched hand of the Erskine right fielder, the Pacers raced ahead to a 3-0 lead by the end of the second inning.

The Flying Fleet pulled back to within one run in the top of the fourth inning as they scored two runs to set the score at 3-2, but the Pacers would extend their lead back out in the bottom of the next inning.

Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) batted in Josh Attaway (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) before Stephen Bellantoni  (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter) raced home off a sacrifice fly by Tyler Bourdo (Evans, Ga./Truett-McConnell) to put the Pacers back up by three at 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Miller followed up his RBI in the fifth with another in the seventh when he batted Bellantoni in with a sacrifice fly to put USC Aiken up 6-2.

The Fleet refused to relinquish the win easily as they got three runs back in the eighth inning, but Jowan Gray (Aiken, S.C./South Aiken) raced home from second base off a single into the gap just in front of Erskine's centerfielder by Adam Spires (Gilbert, S.C./Gilbert) to apparently ice the game.

McLeod (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) struck out nine batters over the first seven innings on the hill for USC Aiken to improve to 9-5. The nine retired batters was one off his career record of 10 against UNC Pembroke earlier this season on March 19.

Taylor Grover (North Augusta, S.C./Midland Valley) came in for the final inning to record his second save of the season.

Zack McAllister suffered the loss on the mound for Kevin Nichols and the Fleet to fall to 3-4.

The Pacers will be looking to acquire their 30th win of the season when the Fleet return to the friendly confines of the 'Bert tomorrow, Saturday, April 30. If the Pacers are able to close out their 2011 season finale with a win, USC Aiken will have claimed 30 wins for 11-straight seasons.

The 2 p.m. game between USC Aiken and Erskine will serve as Senior Day for the Pacers.