AIKEN, S.C. - The No. 21 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team rallied from a three-run deficit with one out in the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over North Georgia. 
 
The Pacers are now 21-5 overall, including a 13-4 mark against conference competition. The Nighthawks are 13-11 on the year and 6-8 against league foes. 
 
Head coach Kenny Thomas' team trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the first, but managed to slice the deficit to just one.  
 
Skylar Mercado opened the first with a double down the right field line. Chaz Pal followed him up with a single to right field, allowing Mercado to race home. 
 
Nick Yobbi settled down on the mound after the first and did not allow the visitors to plate another run until the fifth inning. 
 
North Georgia pushed its lead to 6-1 with a four-run fifth inning only to see USC Aiken trim the margin to 6-3. 
 
The Pacers rattled off back-to-back-to-back doubles for two runs. Tyler Ammerman smashed a double down the right field line and trotted home when Mercado smacked a pitch down the left field line. Pal finished off the three straight doubles with a base knock to right field as Mercado crossed home. 
 
Each team scored a run in the sixth stanza, but USC Aiken had an opportunity to make the score even closer. 
 
Mitchell Price led off the inning by beating out a shot to the shortstop. With one down, Price scampered to second on a wild pitch. He promptly came home when Charles Padilla roped a single into left field to make it 7-4. 
 
With two down, Mercado singled into left field, putting runners on first and second. However, after a pitching change, Pal popped up to end the inning. 
 
USC Aiken got things going in the bottom of the ninth. Ammerman drew a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mercado walked but was removed for pinch runner Joey Smithers. After a pitching change, Pal reached on a fielder's choice that erased Ammerman heading to third.

After another pitching change, Brian Parreira reached on a fielder's choice. The Nighthawks tried to go to second, but Pal slid in safely. Zach Moon was hit by a pitch, driving in Smithers to make it 7-5.

Luke Westerberg entered the game as a pinch runner for Moon. Max Schoen stepped into the box and laced a double to left center field. Pal and Parreira scored and Westerberg managed to beat the throw for the game-winning run.

Schoen led the way with three RBI on a pair of hits. Pal had two RBI on two hits. Mercado led the team with three base knocks and a pair of runs scored. Ammerman and Price registered two hits apiece in the win.

Cole Lee came in to relieve Nick Yobbi in the fifth and worked 1.2 innings. He struck out three and gave up an earned run. After that, Brooks Calvo trotted onto the field and worked the final 3.1 innings, striking out two. He did not give up a hit during that time while facing just 11 batters. He improve to 1-1 on the season with the win.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow for the final game of the three-game series at 1 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available at PacerSports.com.