FLORENCE, S.C. - The No. 19 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team lost a 3-2 decision at Francis Marion Friday evening in the first game of a three-game series. 
 
The Pacers are now 16-5 overall, including a 9-4 mark against league foes. The Patriots are now 15-6 overall, including a 3-4 record against conference competition. 
 
Head coach Kenny Thomas' team had runners on base in the first two innings but was unable to get things going. However, the visitors plated a pair of runs in the fourth stanza to take a 2-0 lead. 
 
With one down, Zach Moon singled to right field. Max Schoen pushed him to second when he ripped a single through the left side of the infield. With two down, Jonathan Banks laced a double into the gap in left center field, allowing Moon and Schoen to race home for the 2-0 advantage. 
 
Defensively, USC Aiken was outstanding, but a lot of that was attributed to the stellar pitching by Erik Davis. Thomas' squad did not allow a run to cross the plate through the first five innings and Davis worked out of slight jam in the sixth as he forced a fly ball to right field after the Patriots put runners on first and second. 
 
Francis Marion had runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but Davis struck out a batter and forced the next to pop up to Banks on a 3-2 count to end the stanza. 
 
USC Aiken looked to be in control, but the Patriots battled back in the eighth thanks in part to an error. With one down, a batter reached on a fielding error. After a walk put runners on first and second, James Lynch was called in from the bullpen. 
 
Lynch forced a fly ball out on his third pitch of the night, which should have ended the inning. However, due to the error the Patriots only had two outs. A walk to the next batter was followed with a bases-clearing double.  
 
Nick Jobst came in for the final out of the eighth. 
 
USC Aiken continued to battle in the top of the ninth. Mitchell Price singled and promptly stole second base. Banks walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out.  
 
David Lankster laid down a sacrifice bunt that pushed the runners to second and third with one away. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the contest. 
 
For the game, Banks led the way with a pair of hits and both RBI. Schoen also registered two base knocks. 
 
Davis went 7.1 innings, striking out eight while giving up two unearned runs on seven hits. He walked just four while not getting the decision.  
 
The Pacers return to action tomorrow when they play Francis Marion at 3 p.m. Live stats are available at PacerSports.com.