Box Score COLUMBUS, Ga. – The nationally 17th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team fell 6-5 to national No. 10 Columbus State in Peach Belt Conference action on Sunday afternoon at Ragsdale Field.
The loss on Sunday gives Columbus State (16-7, 6-3 PBC) a narrow series victory over the Pacers. All three games in the league three-game set were one-run games.
USC Aiken (15-6, 7-5 PBC) was able to manufacture a run in the first inning in Sunday's series finale without a hit. Stephen Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden) commenced the game by being walked. He was then moved over to third on two wild pitches.
Tyler Bourdo (Evans, Ga./Truett-McConnell College) then grounded out to the Columbus State pitcher to bring Carmon home for the game's first run.
The 1-0 lead would not last long with Columbus State plating two runs in the bottom of the second.
USC Aiken would earn a 3-2 lead with one run in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Will Tankersley (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) blasted a solo home run for USC Aiken in the top of the fourth.
Columbus State would even the game at 3-all with another lone run in the bottom half of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, USC Aiken would then plate two to garner a 5-3 advantage. JJ Loker (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) singled in the first run before Bryce Baur (Moncks Corner, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) singled in the second Pacer run.
The Pacers would only be able to hold on to the lead for one inning with Columbus State's Cameron Scott hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to square the game at 5-5.
Columbus State would the net the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth when Pacer pitcher Taylor Grover (North Augusta, S.C./Midland Valley) walked in Seth Corbitt with the bases loaded.
USC Aiken out-hit the Cougars, 9-7, in its loss on Sunday.
Three Pacers recorded multiple hits on Sunday with Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin), Tankersley and Baur all ending their efforts with two hits.
Scott and Aaron Jividen led Columbus State with two hits each.
Kelly Holt (Stockbridge, Ga./Middle Georgia) suffered the loss on the hill for USC Aiken in the game as he left the contest after walking Harrison Waller to start the bottom of the eighth for Columbus State. Waller would eventually become the winning run walked in by Grover.
Hart Mizell captured the win for Columbus State in relief of starter Will Casey. Chase Gilreath claimed his fourth save of the year by dealing a scoreless ninth.
USC Aiken will next welcome Limestone to Roberto Hernandez Stadium on Wednesday, Mar. 14. First pitch in the game is scheduled for 6 p.m.
