Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 AIKEN, S.C. – The nationally 13th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team put on an offensive show in its Peach Belt Conference doubleheader sweep of Young Harris on Saturday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
USC Aiken (19-5, 8-3 PBC) won game one 18-8, while the Pacers garnered a 13-4 victory over Young Harris (10-11, 2-9 PBC) in game two.
Already assured the series victory, the Pacers and Mountain Lions will play the final game of their three-game league set at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 at the 'Bert.
Game One: #13 USC Aiken 18, Young Harris 8
The USC Aiken offense exploded for 19 hits in a 18-8 game one victory over Young Harris.
The explosion featured six extra-base hits for the Pacers with Bill Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) and John Fidanza (Prospect, Ky./Coastal Carolina) both doubling twice in the game.
Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge HS) homered in the game and Ryan Metzler (Glen Burnie, Md./Siena) tripled.
The score was just 7-6 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Pacers then collected 11 runs over the course of the next two innings to claim the emphatic 10-run win.
USC Aiken placed a six-spot on the board in the bottom of the sixth frame, while the Pacers scored five in the bottom of the seventh.
Eight Pacers finished with multiple hits in the game one win with Bryce Baur (Moncks Corner, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) leading the way with three hits. Baur was 3-for-3 with four runs scored in the contest.
Seven Pacers ended their efforts with two hits with Gerstenslager, Fidanza, Metzler, Barkell, Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin HS), Branden Millhouse (Summerville, S.C./USC Upstate) and Sean Miller (Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding HS) each finishing with two hits in the game.
USC Aiken overall out-hit Young Harris, 19-18, in game one.
Pacer reliever Ben Black (Augusta, Ga./Lakeside HS) pitched one inning in relief of starter Ryan Milewski (West Boylston, Mass./West Boylston HS) to acquire the win on the mound. He is now 1-0 on the year.
Young Harris reliever Cody Beck took the loss in game one. He allowed eight runs in 1.2 innings pitched.
Game Two: #13 USC Aiken 13, Young Harris 4
Young Harris plated a single run in the top of the first to take an early lead, but once again the formidable Pacer offense would get going in the home half of the inning as they plated five runs.
The five-spot was part of nine runs over the course of the first two innings for the Pacers.
USC Aiken from there would score four more runs to take the nine-run win.
USC Aiken out-hit Young Harris, 18-5, in the second game.
Seven Pacers recorded multiple hits in game two with Josh Miller and Barkell both obtaining three hits.
Miller was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Barkell was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Barkell has now hit in 15 straight games for the Pacers.
The Pacers had 10 extra-base knocks in game two with Barkell and Metzler both hitting dingers.
Six different Pacers acquired doubles with Miller and Gerstenslager both obtaining two doubles in the USC Aiken win.
USC Aiken's Millhouse, Baur, Gerstenslager, JJ Loker (Elkton, Va./Spotswood HS) and Ben Donath (Aiken, S.C./Middle Georgia) all had two hits in the game.
Pacer starter Derek Beasley (Harlem, Ga./Harlem HS) dealt five strong innings in claiming the win on the hill. Beasley (6-0) fanned six in obtaining his fifth win of the year.
Young Harris starter Adam Moore (2-2) pitched the first four innings, allowing nine runs.
