AIKEN, S.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team registered an 11-2 victory over Southern Wesleyan Saturday afternoon in a non-conference contest.

The Pacers improve to 35-14 on the season while the Warriors drop to 16-35.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the second inning, head coach Kenny Thomas' team bounced back to knot the score in its at bat in the bottom of the frame. 

Skylar Mercado led off the inning with a walk and hustled to second on David Lankster's double to left center field. Tyler Ammerman's single up the middle tied the contest at 1-1. USC Aiken took the lead in the third stanza with another run. With two down, Brian Parreira smashed an opposite field shot that traveled just over the outfield wall for a 2-1 margin.  

The visitors tied the game in the top of the fifth, but Thomas' squad quickly regained the one-run advantage. Zach Moon launched a double to center field with one away. After a grounder that pushed him to third, Moon raced home and slid in safely on a wild pitch for the advantage.

In the sixth, USC Aiken broke open the contest when three more Pacers trotted across home plate. Nile Goings singled and moved to second on Lankster's sacrifice bunt. With two down, Jonathan Banks and Max Schoen each walked to load the bags. Mitchell Price drew a base on balls, plating the first run of the frame. Moon followed him up with a single to center field that scored two for a 6-2 margin.

A two-run blast by Ammerman propelled USC Aiken's lead to 8-2 after seven completed frames. Parreira blooped a pitch into right field in the eighth that scored one for a 9-2 advantage. Joey Smithers followed him up with a double into right center field that scored two more for an 11-2 score.  

Joe Marlow toed the rubber at the start and worked five strong innings. He surrendered a pair of runs on six hits, but struck out five batters en route to picking up the victory.

The Pacers return to action on Saturday when they host Catawba in the regular-season finale. The game is slated to start at 4 p.m. Senior Day festivities will begin prior to the contest. Be sure to arrive early to honor the USC Aiken seniors.