MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The No. 6 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team lost a 6-5 decision at Georgia College Friday afternoon.

The Pacers are now 10-2 overall, including a 6-1 mark against league foes. The Bobcats improve to 5-6 overall and 2-2 against conference competition.

USC Aiken trailed 3-0 after the home squad recorded a three-run homer in the bottom of the first. Head coach Kenny Thomas' team bounced back, making it 3-2 with a pair of runs in the third stanza.

Skylar Mercardo walked with one down and Chaz Pal promptly blasted a 3-1 offering over the fence for the two-run round-tripper.

The Bobcats answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, but the Pacers would once again pull within one.

In the top of the fifth, Mercado got things going again for USC Aiken. He slapped a single through the left side of the infield and Pal's base knock pushed him to second base.

With one down, Mercado and Pal each swiped a base, putting both runners in scoring position. The steals proved rather timely as Zach Moon roped a double to left, plating a pair of Pacers. The base hit pulled USC Aiken within two, 6-4.

The defense continued to stay strong for Thomas' squad and in the eighth inning, the offense struck again.

Brian Parreira garnered a lead-off single and hustled to third when Moon doubled to left field. Jonathan Banks lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Parreira to score and to pull the Pacers within one, 6-5.

USC Aiken was retired in order in the ninth.

For the game, Brooks Calvo suffered the loss. He worked seven innings, striking out seven. He gave up six runs, five of which were earned, on 10 hits while walking just one. Joe Marlow came in and worked a perfect eighth, registering one strikeout.

At the plate, Moon, Pal and Max Schoen all had two hits apiece. Moon and Pal each drove in two while Mercado and Pal each crossed home plate twice. Parreira scored one run and had one hit.

Overall, Thomas' team scored five runs on eight hits with two errors while the home squad posted six runs on 10 hits with one error.

The teams return to action tomorrow at 3 p.m. Live stats will be available at PacerSports.com.