AIKEN, S.C. - After winning by a commanding margin in the first game, the University of South Carolina Aiken softball team secured the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh in the nightcap, posting victories by scores of 7-1 and 5-4 over visiting Young Harris.

The Pacers improve to 20-9 overall, including a 3-3 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, head coach Jerry Snyder's team got its bats going in the second stanza.



Magan Thrower got things going with a single to right. Brielle Jungblut came in as a pinch runner and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Hillary Stewart was hit by a pitch and Madison Labrador flied out, Brittney Williamson singled to second, loading the bases.



With the infield drawn in and the outfielders shaded to their right, Kaitlyn White laced a shot up the middle that trickled to the wall. White, with her blazing speed, was rounding second before the defense even got to the ball. She tripled home everyone on base and White managed to walk home when Sarah Montei lifted a two-run homer over the center field fence for a 5-1 advantage.



In the fourth, the Pacers struck again. Williamson singled up the middle and scored when White singled to right. However, the right fielder misplayed the ball, allowing Williamson to score and White to end up on third. White sprinted home when Montei reached on a throwing error for the 7-1 score.



For the game, White, Montei and Willaimson pounded out six of the team's seven hits while Thrower had the other. Kornegay threw a complete game, striking out seven while giving up just five hits. She walked just one while improving to 13-1 on the season.   

In the second game, USC Aiken found itself trailing 2-0 before Madison Labrador scored on a passed ball, pulling the home team within one.

However, the Mountain Lions would plate two in the top of the fourth, taking a commanding 4-1 advantage.

The Pacers battled back, making it a 4-3 contest in the fifth. After White looped a single into left, Samantha Chubb blasted a two-run shot over the left center field fence. Snyder's team continued applying pressure as Ashley Metts was on third with two down, but the squad was unable to plate the equalizer.

Things got interesting for USC Aiken in the seventh. With one down, Montei drew a walk and moved to third when Chubb belted a double down the right field line. Shannon Traylor came in for Chubb as a pinch runner, but Snyder's team found itself down to its last out.

Thrower put what looked like a routine grounder in play to the second baseman, who scooted to her left a couple of steps. However, when she reached for the ball, it glanced off the top of the glove and into right field. Thrower was safe at first and Traylor never stopped running, crossing home plate as the ball just got to the right fielder for the game-winning run.

For the game, White rattled off a pair of hits as did Chubb. Andrea Daring, Alyssa Cook and Labrador all had hits in the contest. In the circle, Taylor Morgan tossed a complete game, striking out four en route to the victory.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader at 10 a.m., when they face North Georgia.