Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – The nationally 17th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team completed an important two-game series sweep of Catawba with a 6-5 victory over the Indians on Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
USC Aiken (33-16) downed Catawba (39-14), 9-5, in the series opener on Friday, April 27 at the 'Bert.
For the second consecutive game, USC Aiken came out of the gates strong, scoring four runs in the first two innings to own a 4-1 advantage through two innings of action.
Will Tankersley (Thomson, Ga./Thomson) claimed two of the runs for USC Aiken in the bottom of the first frame when he blasted his team-best ninth home run of the season. The two-run shot allowed Tankersley to move into a tie for third in the Peach Belt Conference in home runs.
After Catawba cut the Pacer lead to 4-2 with a single run in the top of the fourth, USC Aiken placed two more runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-2 lead.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning, Bill Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) singled in two to acquire what would turn into the game-winning run.
Catawba would score three the rest of the way, including one in the top of the ninth, but the Pacers would hold on for the dramatic one-run win.
USC Aiken out-hit Catawba, 7-5, in the contest.
Bryce Baur (Moncks Corner, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) was the only Pacer with multiple hits in the contest. He was 2-for-4 with one run scored and an RBI.
Tankersley and Gerstenslager both had two RBIs in the game.
Ethan Satterfield was the only Catawba player to secure multiple hits. He was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Pacer starter Kelly Holt (Stockbridge, Ga./Middle Georgia) claimed the win on the hill. Holt fanned six in his five innings on the mound.
Taylor Grover (North Augusta, S.C./Midland Valley) collected three outs in the ninth to obtain his sixth save of the year.
Catawba hurler Nick Lomascolo was forced out just 1.2 innings into the contest. Lomascolo allowed four runs. He is now 9-4 on the year.
USC Aiken is assured of a spot in the 2012 Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament, which will be contested May 9-13 at Golden Park in Columbus, Ga. Seeding for the 2012 Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament will be announced after the conclusion of the Peach Belt Conference regular season on Monday, April 30.
