Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – The nationally 17th-ranked
University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team scored seven runs
in the first two innings and never looked back in a 9-5
non-conference win over No. 14 Catawba on Friday evening at Roberto
Hernandez Stadium.
The two nationally and regionally-ranked foes will close out
their huge two-game non-conference series at 2 p.m. on Saturday,
April 28 at the 'Bert. The contest will serve as Senior Day for USC
Aiken (32-16).
USC Aiken opened its win over Catawba on Friday by plating five
runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Pacers commenced the
game with their first six batters recording a hit.
The Pacer five-run lead would not last long with Catawba (39-13)
posting a five-spot of their own in the top of the second frame to
even the game at 5-all.
In the home half of the second, USC Aiken would take the lead
for good with two runs. Will Tankersley
(Thomson, Ga./Thomson) collected the runs for USC Aiken when he
blasted his team-leading eighth home run of the year. Tankersley's
two-run shot scored Nick Aranas
(Lexington, S.C./Lexington), who had reached on a walk in the
inning.
From there, USC Aiken would add single run innings in the fifth
and seventh to claim the four-run win.
USC Aiken out-hit Catawba, 12-7, in the game.
Tankersley led four Pacers with multiple hits with three. He was
3-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBIs.
Bryce Baur
(Moncks Corner, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) had two doubles in
the game for USC Aiken, while Ty Barkell (Denver,
Colo./Palmer Ridge) and Bill
Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) both notched two
hits.
Cameron Beard was the only Catawba player with multiple hits. He
was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
USC Aiken scored its first eight runs of the game off Catawba
starting pitcher JJ Jankowski, who was the Co-Pitcher of the Year
in the South Atlantic Conference. Jankowski, who dealt six innings
in total, is now 9-2 on the year.
Pacer reliever Ryan Milewski (West
Boylston, Mass./West Boylston) acquired the win on the hill in
relief of starter Wyatt Brown (Suwanee,
Ga./Middle Georgia), who left after two innings.
Milewski pitched the final seven frames, striking out six. He
allowed just two hits in his time on the hill.
Milewski is now a perfect 7-0 on the season.
