April 11, 2015

Pacers Knock Off Jaguars, 4-3

Box Score

AIKEN, S.C. – In a tightly contested game, the University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team plated a run in the eighth inning en route to a 4-3 victory over GRU Augusta.

The Pacers are now 26-13 on the season, including a 15-11 mark against league foes.

For the game, Zach Moon delivered three of the team's nine hits. TJ Costen tallied two base knocks while Douglas Ard, Randy Luckett, Tyler Moore and Rob Youngblood each had a hit.

Luckett drove in two runs while Costen and Youngblood each had one RBI. Costen, Sean Miller, Moon and Chaz Pal each scored a run.

On the mound, Cole Lee worked 1.1 innings of relief, picking up the win. He struck out two and did not allow a hit or a run. James Lynch struck out a batter as he picked up the save with a solid ninth inning.

Head coach Kenny Thomas' team got on the board in the second inning. Moon led off with a single to left and moved to second when Costen hit a high chopper to third base. Miller reached on an error, loading the bases.

Luckett roped a single to left field, driving in Costen and Moon. However, he was thrown out on the play trying to stretch it into a double. With two down, Youngblood's single pushed the score to 3-0.

The Jaguars battled back with a pair of runs in the fourth, but Ben Black managed to get out of a jam. GRU Augusta threatened in the fifth, but Nick Yobbi came in for Black with two outs and the bases loaded. He managed to get Drew Taylor to fly out, ending the frame.

The Jaguars tied it in the seventh, but left two stranded as Lee came in for the final out of the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Pal led off the inning with a walk. After a pitching change, Moon singled to center field, putting runners on first and second. Costen laced a single to right field and Pal raced home for what turned out to be the game-winning run.

GRU Augusta managed to get one hit off of Lynch in the ninth, but he forced Nick Rau into a fielder's choice, ending the game while picking up the save.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow when they host the Jaguars in the final game of the series starting at 1 p.m.

AOII will be back at Roberto Hernandez Stadium tomorrow just after 12 p.m., to continue raising money for the arthritis foundation! They will have "Pie an AOII in the Face," snow cones, wiffle ball, $1 drawings, silent auction face painting and much more for the entire family!