FLORENCE, S.C. – The No. 2/5 University of South Carolina baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Peach Belt Conference foe Francis Marion Sunday afternoon, winning by scores of 10-8 and 6-2.

The Pacers are now 10-2 overall on the season, including a 3-0 mark against league foes.

In the first game, Ryan Metzler paced the squad with three RBI. Ty Barkell, Matt Bosse and T.J. Costen all knocked in two while Tyler Moore added one RBI.

Barkell recorded a three-for-five effort while Costen had two hits, as both were doubles. Costen also crossed home plate four times. Barkell, Metzler and Sean Miller had two hits apiece. Head coach Kenny Thomas' team hit the base paths hard as they totaled 10 stolen bases on the day.

Danny Wissmann went 4.1 innings, striking out five while giving up three runs. Ben Black came in and tossed the final 4.2 frames to pick up the win. He struck out eight, giving up three earned runs on three hits.

In the first, USC Aiken got on top with three runs as Barkell's double plated Moore. Metzler's double brought Barkell and Costen home for the 3-0 advantage.

With the score tied in the third, Costen scored again on Bosse's grounder with two down for a 4-3 lead. Moore's single in the fifth plated Kody Belcher, who had reached on a bunt single.

In the seventh the score was tied at five. However, Costen's drive to left field drove in Belcher. Two batters later, Bosse singled and brought in Costen. Metzler's single allowed Barkell to score.

USC Aiken pushed across a pair of runs in the eighth as Costen laced a double to left field, plating Moore. Barkell rocketed a shot through the left side of the infield, driving in Costen for the final run for the victors.

In the second game, neither team could push across a run through the first two frames. Then, the Pacers raced out to a 6-0 lead by plating six in the third stanza.

Miller reached on an error and moved to second on the throw. Belcher found space on the left side of the infield and punched the ball through, putting runners on the corner. He then stole second to put two in scoring position for USC Aiken.

Moore's single to right gave the Pacers a 1-0 lead while advancing Belcher to third. Moore quickly scampered into scoring position and went to third on the throw as Belcher swiped home for a 2-0 advantage.

Costen's base knock deep in the hole drove in Moore. Barkell drew a walk to put Pacers on first and second. Costen would score when Ben Donath singled to left field. Barkell moved to third on Metzler's fly ball. Charles Padilla connected on a pitch and drove it into right field, scoring Barkell. Randy Luckett's sacrifice fly plated Donath for the 6-0 advantage.

The score remained the same until the Patriots got on the board in the eighth with two runs.

In the ninth, Caleb Smith came in to pitch for Cole Lee. FMU managed to get two runners on base with one down, but a fielder's choice and a swinging strikeout wrapped up the series in favor of the visitors.     

Taylor Peed worked six innings to get the win. He allowed just four hits while keeping FMU off the scoreboard. He struck out two. Matt Hissong went 1.2 innings, giving up two runs – but both were unearned. Lee pitched one-third of an inning, getting the only batter he faced out.

Belcher, Moore, Donath and Padilla had two hits apiece in the win.

The Pacers return to action Saturday, March 1 at Flagler. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.