AIKEN, S.C. - The No. 13 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team lost a 17-8 decision to No. 9 Florida Southern Sunday afternoon.

The Pacers are now 32-11 on the season.

Head coach Kenny Thomas' team managed to keep the score even at 3-3 after the two frames. Each team plated one in the first and two in the second.

In the bottom of the first, Skylar Mercado started things off with a single to right field. With one down, both Johnathan Banks and Brian Parreira walked, loading the bases. Chaz Pal lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in Mercado for the first Pacer run of the game.

In the second, Max Schoen hit a single to center field followed by walks for Tyler Ammerman and Mercado. With the bases juiced, Mitchell Price brought in one on a sacrifice fly and another crossed home due to an error, tying the score.

The visitors scored five runs in the third and four in the fourth for a 12-3 edge.

USC Aiken fought back in the bottom half of the fourth, plating three. Mercado shot a double down the right field line plating Schoen,  who had reached on a single. Price followed immediately with a single to center to bring in Mercado. After advancing to third, Price came home on the second wild pitch of the inning.

The Pacers threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, but only managed to bring in one run. After a double by Zach Moon and a walk by Schoen, Ammerman brought Moon home off a double to center field.

Thomas' team had runners on base in the sixth inning, but the team could not push across another run until the ninth.

With one out and one man on, Charles Padilla singled to right field. Nile Goings then reached on a fielder's choice, plating Pal for the final run of the game.

Price drove in three runs while Ammerman, Pal, Goings and Mercado each drove in one. Schoen and Mercado each had two runs while Price, Pal, Moon and Ammerman each had one.

Trevor Hutto pitched three solid innings of relief, only giving up two hits and ringing up two strikeouts.

The Pacers return to action Wednesday evening when they play at Catawba at 6 p.m.