AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team knocked off Paine in a mid-week contest by a score of 17-11 Wednesday afternoon.

The Pacers improve to 7-4 on the young season.

Leading the way for USC Aiken was Ty Barkell, who pounded out three hits and drove in three runs. Zach Moon went two-for-four with four RBI while Nile Goings also had two hits to go along with three RBI.

On the mound, Nick Yobbi picked up the win after hurling three innings of four-hit ball. Ben Black, Joe Marlow, Erik Davis,

Jared Felix, Hunter Hubbard and Cole Lee also saw action Wednesday afternoon.

Head coach Kenny Thomas' team found itself trailing 4-1 in the top of the fourth. However, USC Aiken's bats came alive over the next three frames.

In the bottom of the fourth,  Chaz Pal walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Moore. Barkell doubled him home. Two batters later, Goings belted a single, scoring Barkell.

The next frame was all USC Aiken. Rob Youngblood walked and moved to second when Cory Bryant laid down a well-exectued bunt for a single. Pal reached on an error, which allowed Youngblood to score. With two outs, Goings singled home Pal and Bryant before Moon blasted a three-run homer.

After a pair of runs by the Lions in the top of the sixth, Thomas' squad went back to work. Pal doubled home Youngblood.

Two batters later, Barkell singled home Moore just after Pal had crossed home on a wild pitch. Moon's fielder's choice plated another run.

USC Aiken extended its margin and left no doubt with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Max Schoen plated Goings, who had reached on an error. Randy Luckett came in as a pinch hitter and delivered an RBI single. Three batters later, Schoen scored on an error prior to Barkell ending USC Aiken's scoring with a double to right field.

In all, Thomas' team accounted for 17 runs on 13 hits. The squad tallied four extra-base hits, including two by Barkell.   Four student-athletes had multi-RBI games and four delivered multi-hit contests.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they face Lander in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.