AIKEN, S.C. – Tyler Bourdo singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the nationally 28^th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team garnered a 2-1 victory over Carson-Newman on Saturday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The game was USC Aiken's second game of the inaugural Carolina Outdoors Classic.

The score knotted at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Bill Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) opened things for USC Aiken (5-0) in the inning by doubling to right field. Speedster Branden Millhouse (Summerville, S.C./USC Upstate) was then brought in to pinch run for Gerstenslager. 

Nick Aranas (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) then sacrificed Millhouse over to third base.

Bourdo (Evans, Ga./Truett-McConnell College) took advantage of his opportunity next by hitting a chopper into right field to score Millhouse and obtain the game-winning run.

The run was USC Aiken's first run of the game since scoring in the bottom of the first frame. Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) netted the RBI for the Pacers in the stanza when he doubled to left field to plate Stephen Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden), who had singled to left centerfield to get things going for USC Aiken in the game.

Carson-Newman (2-4) scored its only run of the game in the top of the seventh.

Carmon led five Pacers in the game with multiple hits with three. Carmon was 3-for-4 with one run scored in the contest. 

USC Aiken ended the game with 13 hits in total. The Pacer pitching staff limited Carson-Newman to just five hits in the game.

No Carson-Newman player was able to secure multiple hits. 

Pacer reliever Ryan Milewski (West Boylston, Mass./West Boylston) pitched the final 2.2 innings of the game to claim the win for USC Aiken. Milewski (1-0) allowed just one hit in his time on the hill.

USC Aiken starter Wyatt Brown (Suwanee, Ga./Middle Georgia) pitched the first 6.1 innings of the game for the Pacers, fanning two and allowing just four hits.

Carson-Newman reliever Ryan Fillers (1-2) suffered the loss on the mound by giving up the game-winning run to Bourdo. He pitched the final 3.1 innings of the game, striking out three Pacers.

The Pacers will next 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.