AIKEN, S.C. – The 11^th-ranked USC Aiken Pacer baseball team showed off their offensive power in a doubleheader sweep of No. 24 UNC Pembroke on Saturday at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The Pacers (28-13, 17-9 PBC) came from behind twice in game one to win 7-6. USC Aiken led for the entirety of game two, winning 16-11.

The Braves plated two runners in the visitor half of the second inning, and then scored one more run in the top of the third inning.

In the home half of the third, the Pacers had singles by Stephen Bellantoni (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter CC) and Stephen Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden) with one out. Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) then powered a home run of the left field wall to tie the game up at 3-all.

UNC Pembroke (27-15, 13-12 PBC) would score three more runs before the Pacers came to the plate in the last of the ninth inning.

J.J. Loker (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) started the rally for the Pacers in the ninth inning of game one when he was hit by a pitch. Will Tankersley (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) then reached on a fielder's choice.

Bellantoni was the next Pacer to reach base on an error on the UNC Pembroke shortstop. Tankersley and Carmon were on the corners after Carmon reached on a fielder's choice. 

Miller then singled the ball over the third baseman's head, scoring Tankersley.

With Carmon and Miller on the bases, Bill Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) powered a game-winning three-run home run over the left field wall to give the Pacers the come-from-behind victory in game one.

The Pacers were led at the plate by Bellantoni who went 3-for-5 in game one. The Pacers had three players with multiple hits in the game.
Miller ended game one with four RBIs.

The Braves out-hit the Pacers 13-11. Kyle Adair led UNCP with three hits in the game.

Ryan Milewski (West Boylston, Mass./West Boylston) earned the victory for the Pacers. Milewski is now a perfect 6-0 on the 2012 season.
Braxton Lewis (1-2) suffered the loss for the Braves.

The Pacers would carry over their success at the plate into game two where eight players would end the contest with multiple hits.

USC Aiken held a 2-1 lead entering the home half of the fourth inning before the Pacers would rally off eight straight hits and six runs.

Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge) had back-to-back homeruns in the fourth and fifth innings leaving him one home run shy of the single game record of three set by Bill Rice (2010).

The scoring would continue in the sixth inning for the USC Aiken squad as they rallied off six hits and seven runs. The inning had its exclamation mark placed on it with the grand slam by Tankersley.

Tankersley would finish the game with four hits. He was a triple away from the cycle. He would also conclude game two with six RBIs, which is one shy of the school record for a single game.

Barkell also finished the game with four hits. Both players went 4-for-5 in game two which, was one hit shy of the record for hits in a game at five.

UNC Pembroke would not leave the second game of the twinbill quietly. The Braves sliced the 12-run deficit in half in the seventh inning, scoring six runs on six hits.

In the top of the ninth inning the Braves would rally once more. UNCP would have the bases loaded and the tying run in the on-deck circle before Pacer head coach Kenny Thomas summoned Taylor Grover (North Augusta, S.C./Midland Valley) from the bullpen. Grover struck out the last batter of the game to secure his fourth save of the season and the Pacer victory.

The Pacers out-hit Pembroke 23-16 in game two.

Five pitchers numbers were called for the Pacers. Derek Beasley (Harlem, Ga./Harlem), who pitched six innings and struck out seven, moved to 7-3 on the 2012 season. 

Jordan DeLoatch (4-3) was the losing pitcher of game two for the Braves.

The Pacers will host the final game of the series tomorrow (Sunday, April 15) at the 'Bert. First pitch for Pack the Park day is set for 1 p.m.