PEMBROKE, N.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team lost a pair of close games at UNC Pembroke Friday evening by scores of 6-5 in nine innings and 7-5 in the nightcap.

The Pacers are now 22-14 on the year and 11-11 against conference competition.

In the opener, Victoria Burkett led the way with a pair of hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Andrea Daring and Ashley Metts had two hits apiece. Samantha Chubb blasted a two-run homer while Makenzie Barbor and Magan Thrower each crossed home once.

Head coach Jerry Snyder's team took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Burkett walked and moved to second on Montei's sacrifice bunt. With two down, Metts sliced a single up the middle, plating Burkett.

UNC Pembroke scored a run in the first, second and third innings, but USC Aiken's bats went back to work in the fifth.

Burkett led off the stanza with a single. With one down, Chubb launched a two-run shot over the left field fence, tying the game. The Pacers took a 5-3 lead with two more runs in the sixth. Thrower reached on a fielding error and rushed to third on Barbor's single. Burkett took a pitch to the opposite field, scoring Thrower and Barbor for the lead. However, an error in the bottom of the inning allowed the home team to knot the contest.

USC Aiken was unable to get anything going in the eighth and ninth innings and the Braves eventually scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

Snyder's team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game. With one down, Montei took an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence. Chubb followed it up on the very next pitch with a blast over the left center field wall for a 2-0 lead. Metts singled through the left side and Sydney Murphy capped off the big inning with a two-run shot over the left center field wall.

The Braves scored a run in the first and two in the second, but USC Aiken tacked on a run in the fourth. With two away, Barbor blasted the first pitch she saw over the fence in left field for a 5-3 margin.

UNC Pembroke plated four runs in the bottom of the fifth in part to three errors and hung on for the win.

For the game, Chubb and Murphy had two hits apiece. Barbor, Metts and Montei each had one. Murphy posted a team-high two RBI.

The Pacers return to action Sunday when they travel to Francis Marion for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.