AIKEN, S.C. – An extremely balanced offense helped the nationally 28^th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team to a dominating 22-4 win over Davis & Elkins on Friday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The contest was the first game of the inaugural Carolina Outdoors Classic.

Davis & Elkins (0-1) was able to collect the first run in the game in the top of the first inning, but from that point forward USC Aiken (4-0) took over in its eventual 18-run victory.

The game featured 18 Pacer batters having a chance at the dish. Nine different Pacers were able to secure multiple hits in the game. USC Aiken finished with 25 hits as a team in total.

Kevin Gifford (Warner Robbins, Ga./Middle Georgia) and Nick Aranas (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) both claimed three hits each in the win over Davis & Elkins. 

Gifford concluded the game with three runs scored and an RBI. Aranas had four RBIs in the contest.

JJ Loker (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) was a perfect 2-for-2 with five RBIs for USC Aiken in the game. He claimed one of two home runs for the Pacers on the day when he blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge) procured the other Pacer dinger on the day when he opened the scoring in a five-run second inning for USC Aiken with a home run to right field. The tater was Barkell's second on the young year.

Pacer designated hitter Bill Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) was 1-for-1 on Friday with four walks. The four walks tied a school record for most walks in a single game. 

USC Aiken starting pitcher Derek Beasley (Harlem, Ga./Harlem) dealt the first five innings of the contest, allowing just one earned run while fanning three. Beasley is now a perfect 2-0 in 2012. 

Davis & Elkins starter Zach McElroy pitched the first 2.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and nine runs. 

In total, USC Aiken utilized the services of four pitchers with the foursome combining to strike out eight Senator batters. The foursome also allowed only five hits to Davis & Elkins.

USC Aiken reliever Taylor Peed (St. Leonard, Md./Calvert) acquired four of the eight strikeouts in his two innings on the hill.

In the second game on Friday of the Carolina Outdoors Classic, North Georgia downed Carson-Newman, 7-2.

The Carolina Outdoors Classic will continue on Saturday at the 'Bert. USC Aiken will next tangle with Carson-Newman at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. North Georgia and Davis & Elkins will then play the second game on Saturday at approximately 4 p.m.

The Pacers will play the second game of the day on the final day of the Carolina Outdoors Classic on Sunday, Feb. 12 with Carson-Newman and Davis & Elkins opening the day's action at 12 p.m. USC Aiken and Peach Belt Conference rival North Georgia will then play at approximately 3 p.m. The contest will be a non-conference game.