GREENWOOD, S.C. – Despite a valiant effort and an amazing comeback, the No. 15 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team lost a 12-8 decision in 10 innings to top-seeded Lander in the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament.

The Pacers conclude the outstanding season at 36-17.

Leading the way for head coach Kenny Thomas' team was Tyler Moore, who pounded out a team-high three hits and scored a game-best three runs. Ryan Metzler drove in three while Charles Padilla registered two RBI.

James Lynch took the loss for USC Aiken as he came in to start the ninth inning and worked 1.1 innings. Collectively, the Pacers accounted for eight errors, resulting in four unearned runs. Caleb Smith struck out a team-high three batters in a pair of shutout innings.

After the Bearcats scored a run in the second and one in the fourth, Thomas' team battled back, tying the contest with two of its own in the bottom half of the frame.

Sean Miller started things off with a single up the middle and went to second on Moore's single to left. When Ty Barkell was hit by a pitch, it loaded the bases. Metzler hit a deep fly ball, earning a sacrifice fly on the play as Miller trotted home. T.J. Costen's fielder's choice evened the contest at 2-2.

Lander struck for six runs in the top of the fifth as the Pacers committed two errors in the inning and were a pitch away from ending the stanza on a few occasions.

Thomas and his team battled back, plating four in the sixth stanza. Moore led off the frame by drawing a walk and moved to second when Barkell singled. Metzler's single allowed Moore to score. Later in the inning, Padilla ripped a looping double to the gap, driving in a pair of Pacers. Grayson Smith followed him up with a single to left, which drove in Padilla.

USC Aiken sliced into the lead in the seventh inning when Metzler's sacrifice fly allowed Moore to score. The Pacers had a chance to do some damage with the bases loaded, but a strikeout ended the frame.

Trailing 8-7 heading into the bottom of the eighth, Dylan Durham reached on a miscue by the shortstop and swiftly went to second when Kody Belcher put down a beautiful sacrifice bunt. With two down, Moore ripped a single through the left side that evened the contest at 8-8.

Neither team was able to plate a run in the ninth, which forced extra innings. The Bearcats took advantage of an error and scored four runs in the inning for a 12-8 advantage. USC Aiken was unable to record another comeback as the squad managed to get just one runner on before making the final two outs of the game.

For the game, the Pacers totaled eight runs with 11 hits to go along with eight errors. Lander totaled 12 runs on 12 hits with three miscues.