GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Peach Belt Conference-leading and nationally ninth-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team completed a three-game league road sweep over No. 10 Lander with two wins on Saturday at Dolny Stadium.

USC Aiken (34-8, 19-5 PBC) won game one, 6-5, in dramatic fashion before obtaining a dominating 14-7 win in game two.

The three-game sweep of No. 10 Lander (29-12, 18-9 PBC) concludes an impressive and perfect 4-0 week that saw USC Aiken take the three-game league sweep from Lander in Greenwood, S.C. this weekend along with besting No. 28 Catawba, 15-3, in Salisbury, N.C. on Tuesday, April 9.

USC Aiken has now claimed nine of its 11 three-game series this season (Lincoln Memorial, Carson-Newman, Shepherd, Francis Marion, Flagler, Young Harris, North Georgia, Augusta State and Lander). The Pacers swept Lincoln Memorial, Shepherd, Flagler, Young Harris, North Georgia, Augusta State and Lander.

Winners of seven straight, USC Aiken will next welcome first-time foe Shorter to Roberto Hernandez Stadium for a 4 p.m. contest on Wednesday, April 17.

Game One: #9 USC Aiken 6, #10 Lander 5

USC Aiken and Lander entered the top of the ninth inning in game one tied at 5-5.

Bill Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) changed that in the top half of the frame when he blasted a game-winning solo home run to give the Pacers a 6-5 game one victory.

USC Aiken opened things in game one by plating three runs in the top of the first inning. The first run of the inning for the Pacers came when Gerstenslager singled in Josh Miller (Chapin, S.C./Chapin HS). Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge HS) and Ben Donath (Aiken, S.C./Middle Georgia) then both drove in runs to give the Pacers the early 3-0 lead.

After a lone run in the bottom of the fourth inning, Lander cut the Pacer lead to just 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth frame when Graham Ramos hit a solo home run to left field.

The Pacers would then post two runs of their own in the top half of the sixth inning to go ahead, 5-2. Sean Miller (Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding HS) secured the first run of the inning for USC Aiken when he singled in Ryan Metzler (Glen Burnie, Md./Siena), who had singled to center field to get on base earlier in the inning. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Sean Miller was then brought home on a Josh Miller single to left field.

The three-run advantage would not last long though with Lander plating two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth to pull within one run at 5-4. The Bearcats tied the game at 5-5 with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

USC Aiken concluded the game one win over Lander out-hitting the Bearcats, 12-11.

Josh Miller led the Pacers in the game as he was 3-for-5 with one run scored and an RBI.

Gerstenslager was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the game, while Sean Miller was 2- for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Three Bearcats finished the first game with two hits.

USC Aiken reliever Taylor Grover (North Augusta, S.C. /Midland Valley HS) picked up the win in the game to move to 4-0 on the year. Grover pitched the final 1.1 innings.

Lander reliever Kyle Tate took the loss after surrendering the home run to Gerstenslager in the ninth. Tate (1-2) dealt the final 2.2 innings of the game for the Bearcats.

USC Aiken starter Wyatt Brown (Suwanee, Ga./Middle Georgia) pitched the first 5.2 innings of the game. He fanned seven.

Game Two: #9 USC Aiken 14, #10 Lander 7

USC Aiken dominated from start-to-finish in game two.

After scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, the Pacers blew the game wide open with a 10-spot in the top of the third inning. The Pacers would add two more runs over the course of the game.

Barkell led USC Aiken in the second game Saturday with a school-record tying five hits. Barkell was 5-for-6 in the game in total. He scored three runs and had three RBIs.

Barkell also tripled in the dominating Pacer victory.

Tyler Moore (Evans, Ga./Evans HS) closed out the second game Saturday going 3-for-5 at the dish. He had two RBIs and scored once.

Sean Miller, Josh Miller and Metzler also each had two hits in the Pacer second game win Saturday.

USC Aiken starting pitcher Ryan Milewski (West Boylston, Mass./West Boylston HS) picked up the win on the hill. Milewski dealt the first five innings of the game, striking out two. He is now 4-3 on the season.

Lander starter Cam Hokanson (0-2) took the loss in game two. He gave up six runs in 2.1 innings on the hill. 

USC Aiken out-hit Lander, 16-11, in game two.