GREENWOOD, S.C. – Senior Ashley Metts set a school record and tied another as the University of South Carolina Aiken softball team opened Peach Belt Conference play with a sweep at Lander. Game scores were 15-8 (8 innings) and 7-2.

The Pacers are now 7-1 on the season and improve to 2-0 against conference competition. The Bearcats fall to 3-5 on the year and 1-3 against league foes.

Metts belted a school-record tying two home runs in the opener and established a school record with seven RBI in a single game.

In the opener, head coach Jerry Snyder's team jumped on top with three runs in the top of the first inning. With one down, Sarah Monteil roped a double down the left field line. She advanced to third on a wild pitch with two away. After Andrea Daring walked, Metts drew a base on balls. Magan Thrower belted a double to left, clearing the bases for a 3-0 edge.

Lander scored a run in the first and second, making it a 3-2 contest.

The game remained the same until Thrower blasted a solo homer to lead off the sixth inning for a 4-2 advantage. USC Aiken looked as if it cruise to a win after making it 8-2 with four runs in the top of the seventh stanza.

Sydney Murphy doubled to lead off the frame and moved to third on a fly ball. Samantha Cubb singled her home. Two batters later, Metts launched a three-run homer over the left center field fence.

Despite having a six-run lead, the home squad managed to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings.

Snyder's team would ensure the victory by batting around and scoring seven runs in the eighth stanza. With one down, Makenzie Barbor singled and moved to third on Murphy's infield base hit. A walk to Montei loaded the bases and Chubb drew a walk, which scored one. Two batters later, Metts went deep again, launching a grand slam over the left center field fence. After Thrower doubled to left, Victoria Burkett hit her second career homer at Lander (first of the year) for a 15-8 lead.

For the game, Metts had two hits and drove in seven runs while scoring three times. Thrower had three hits, four RBI and scored twice. Montei and Murphy each had two hits. Montei, Chubb and Daring all scored twice.

Taylor Morgan started the game and worked 6.1 innings. She gave up eight runs on 10 hits, but only six were earned. Danielle Payne tossed 1.2 innings to pick up the win. She struck out one and gave up one hit.

Snyder's team left no doubt in the nightcap, scoring four runs in the first and adding a single run in the next three frames.

Murphy led off the game by reaching on a fielding error. Montei singled her to second and a fielding error allowed the bases to be loaded. Metts reached on a fielder's choice, which made it 1-0. Daring doubled down the line, plating two more while Barbor's single scored Metts for a 4-0 edge.

After the Bearcats scored a run in the bottom of the frame, USC Aiken answered in the second when Chubb doubled in Montei.

Payne singled in Lyndie Dorgan in the third, who had come in as a pinch runner for Daring. The Pacers registered their final run of the game when Burkett drove in Daring in the fourth.

Payne improved to 4-0 with the win as she worked five innings, giving up two runs on four hits. Morgan came in and struck out four in the final two innings.

For the game, Chubb, Daring and Montei all recorded two hits apiece. Daring drove in two runs while Montei scored twice.

The Pacers return to action March 3 when they travel to Carson-Newman for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.