Box Score FLORENCE, S.C. – The No. 19 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team picked up a hard fought 5-4 11-inning victory at Francis Marion Sunday afternoon in the final game of the three-game set.
The Pacers improve to 18-5 overall, including an 11-4 record against Peach Belt Conference foes. The Patriots fall to 15-8 on the year and are now 3-6 in league play.
Chaz Pal led the victors with a game-high three hits and scored what turned out to be the game-winning run. Max Schoen shared game-best accolades by tallying three hits. He drove in one and scored once.
Jonathan Banks and Skylar Mercado each posted two hits. Zach Moon, Brian Parreira and Luke Westerberg all drove in a run. Mercado crossed home plate twice.
USC Aiken jumped on top with a run in the team's first at bat. Mercado led off the game with a base on balls and hustled to second on an infield single by Pal. After the Patriots turned a double play, Moon hit a 2-2 pitch threw the left side, plating Mercado.
FMU scored a run in the first and tacked on two more in the third for a 3-1 lead. Despite getting a hit in the fourth and fifth innings, the Pacers were unable to push across a run until the sixth.
With two down, Mitchell Price ripped a double down the left field line on a 3-2 count. Banks drew a walk and Price swiftly swiped third. Price managed to trot home when Westerberg roped a single to center field, making it a 3-2 contest.
Head coach Kenny Thomas' team tied the game in the eighth stanza when Banks laced a single up the middle, plating Schoen, who had reached on a double to the gap in left center field.
USC Aiken took a 4-3 lead with a run in the top of the ninth. Mercado started the inning with a lead-off single and quickly moved to second on Pal's sacrifice bunt. Parreira drew a walk and Mercado advanced to third on a wild pitch.
After Moon was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Schoen came through with a base hit to right field, scoring Mercado.
The Patriots tied the game in the bottom of the ninth but Nick Jobst managed to force a fielder's choice that got a runner out at home before striking out the final batter with the bases loaded to force extra innings.
Thomas' squad had a runner on base in the 10th but a double play ended the stanza.
In the 11th, Pal pulled a ball into left field on a full count before stealing second base. Parreira ripped a single to center field and Pal raced home for the score and 5-4 lead.
James Lynch, who came in during the 10th inning, managed to retire the side in order in the bottom of the inning for the victory. For the game, he struck out two batters in two innings.
In the game, Joe Marlow came in and worked 4.1 innings of relief. He struck out one and did not allow a run. Connor Riley tossed 1.1 innings and struck out one. Jobst worked two-thirds of a frame and struck out one.
The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they host Emmanuel. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available at PacerSports.com. The game marks the first in a nine-game homestand for USC Aiken.
