COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 16 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team lost two games at No. 10 Columbus State Saturday by scores of 4-3 and 3-1.

The Pacers are now 30-13 overall and 16-10 against Peach Belt Conference competition.

In the opener, Derek Beasley cruised through the first four frames as both teams were scoreless entering the fifth. Beasley retired the first six batters he faced and got out of the third easily as the Pacers turned a double play, erasing the first base runner of the game by the Cougars.

USC Aiken allowed a lead-off single in the fifth before giving up a two-run homer, but Beasley retired the next three batters via the fly ball.

Head coach Kenny Thomas' team knotted the score in the top of the sixth as Sean Miller hit the first pitch of the stanza into left for a single. Two batters later, Ty Barkell roped a double to right center, driving in Miller. Ryan Metzler followed him up with a single through the left side of the infield, putting runners on first and third.

Tyler Moore's deep fly ball to right allowed Barkell to trot home, tying the contest at 2-2.

With one down in the bottom of the sixth, the Cougars registered a two-run homer for a 4-2 edge.

USC Aiken was unable to get a runner on base in the seventh or eighth, but rallied in the ninth. With one down, Moore blasted a homer to right, making it a 4-3 game. Matt Bosse singled to left, but after a pitching change, the Pacers grounded into a double play, ending the game.

Beasley threw a complete game for the Pacers. He gave up four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and did not allow a walk.

At the plate, Miller and Moore had two hits apiece. Moore accounted for two RBI while Barkell had one. The Cougars totaled four runs on six hits with no errors while USC Aiken tallied three runs on eight hits with one miscue.

Rookie Matt Hissong took the mound in the second game and was productive for USC Aiken. He worked seven innings of five-hit ball. Hissong gave up two runs, but only one was earned, while striking out three and walking two. Ben Black came in for the eighth inning and struck out three batters, but gave up a run.

At the plate, the Pacers accounted for five hits, but the only run came on a solo shot by Miller. Kody Belcher, T.J. Costen, Metzler and Moore all had singles in the contest.

In the first, Miller reached on an error with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Costen, but was unable to cross home as a groundout ended the inning.

The Pacers managed to get the lead-off batter on in the second, but three straight out rendered another student-athlete on the base paths.

USC Aiken broke the scoreless tie in the third when Miller belted a two-out homer high over the left field fence for a 1-0 edge. The Pacers threatened to score more in the stanza as Costen ripped a single through the left side and moved to second when Barkell was hit by a pitch. However, a fielder's choice ended the inning.

The Cougars battled back, plating two runs in the bottom of the third, with one coming on a solo homer and another on a throwing error.

Thomas' team had a runner on second in the fourth and fifth, but the squad was unable to score any more runs while the Cougars tacked on an insurance run in the eighth.

USC Aiken totaled one run on five hits with two errors while Columbus State accounted for three runs on six hits with one miscue.

The teams return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m., in the series finale. Live stats and video are available at PacerSports.com.