AIKEN, S.C. – Two five-run innings helped propel the University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team to a 12-5 win over Lincoln Memorial on Saturday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The victory assures USC Aiken (2-0) of a series victory in the season-opening three-game set between the two familiar foes. The Pacers will look for the series sweep over Lincoln Memorial (0-2) in the series finale at 1 p.m. at the 'Bert on Sunday, Feb. 5.

The Pacers concluded Saturday's victory over Lincoln Memorial with 15 hits. The Railsplitters ended their loss to USC Aiken with eight total team hits. 

Three Pacers recorded multiple hits in the game with Stephen Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden) leading the way with his second consecutive three-hit game. Carmon was 3-for-5 in total with three runs scored and one RBI.

Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge) was 2-for-4 in the game for the Pacers with a home run. Stephen Bellantoni (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter CC) was 2-for-3 with one run scored. 

No Lincoln Memorial player was able to obtain multiple hits in the game.

Starting pitching was once again strong for the Pacers in the game with newcomer Wyatt Brown pitching five scoreless innings. Brown (Suwanee, Ga./Middle Georgia) fanned seven and allowed just two hits in his five innings on the hill.

Lincoln Memorial starter Andy Fennell allowed seven earned runs in his five innings on the mound. He fanned just three Pacers.

The Pacers could not manage a hit in the game until the bottom of the fourth inning when Carmon singled up the middle to get things going. From there, USC Aiken took over by scoring five runs in the frame. 

Nick Aranas (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) picked up the first two RBIs of the inning when he blasted a double to center field. A few batters later, Tyler Bourdo (Evans, Ga./Truett-McConnell College) hit the first home run of the year for USC Aiken to bring in three more and set the score at 5-0 in USC Aiken's favor. 

USC Aiken would add another run in the bottom of the fifth off an Aranas sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the sixth, USC Aiken would plate five more runs with Barkell's tater starting things off for the Pacers in the inning. 

Kevin Gifford (Warner Robbins, Ga./Middle Georgia) singled in USC Aiken's final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. He scored Tripp Warrick (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta), who had began the inning for USC Aiken by doubling to right field.

Lincoln Memorial would place three runs on the board in the top of the ninth inning, but it would not be enough as USC Aiken emerged with the seven-run victory.