Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – The nationally 11th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team was unable to complete a three-game sweep of No. 24 UNC Pembroke in an 8-2 loss to the Braves on Sunday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
Despite Sunday's loss, USC Aiken (28-14, 17-10 PBC) was already assured of a series victory over UNC Pembroke (28-15, 14-12) by virtue of its doubleheader sweep of the Braves on Saturday, April 14 at the 'Bert.
Coming off a strong offensive showing in the twinbill sweep of UNC Pembroke on Saturday the Pacers looked as if they would keep it rolling in the first inning of the series finale.
Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) started the game's scoring by doubling in Stephen Carmon (Camden, S.C./Camden) to give the Pacers a 1-0 lead through one inning of play.
UNC Pembroke would then plate eight runs over the next seven innings to own an 8-1 lead entering the bottom of the eighth inning.
USC Aiken would score one run in the bottom of the eighth, but it would not be enough in the six-run loss to the Braves.
Wyatt Brown (Suwanee, Ga./Middle Georgia) suffered his first loss of the year on the hill for USC Aiken in the contest. Brown pitched the first five innings. He is now 6-1 on the season.
Thomas McLeod (Chapin, S.C./Chapin) pitched the final four innings of the game for USC Aiken. McLeod fanned six in his four innings on the mound.
Alex Pearce moved to 7-3 on the season in his win on the hill for UNC Pembroke. Pearce pitched the first seven innings.
UNC Pembroke narrowly out-hit USC Aiken 14-13 in the game.
USC Aiken had five players record multiple hits with Stephen Bellantoni (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Sumter CC), Miller, Nick Aranas (Lexington, S.C./Lexington), Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge) and Will Tankersley (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) all ending their days with two hits.
Miller doubled twice in the game.
Drew Alford and Eitan Maoz led UNC Pembroke in the game with three hits each.
USC Aiken will next welcome two CSRA rivals to Roberto Hernandez Stadium. The Pacers will first square off with Paine at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17. One day later, USC Aiken and Augusta State will close out the 2012 Outback Cup with a 6:30 p.m. game on Wednesday, April 18.
