AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team rattled off a pair of walk-off victories over Claflin Saturday afternoon by scores of 8-7 and 6-5.
The Pacers are now 7-3-1 on the season while the Panthers fall to 5-7.
In the first game, head coach
Jerry Snyder's team fell behind 1-0 and 3-2 before mounting a solid offensive charge.
In the bottom of the first, hurler
Hannah Price ripped a single to the gap in right center field to score
Chandler Terrapin, who reached on a walk and quickly stole second base. Terrapin made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the third when she ripped a double to right field, scoring
Hanna Hyder, who reached on a lead-off walk.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, USC Aiken put together a four-run burst.
Sydney Kate Murphy led off the stanza with a 2-2 single to right field.
Magan Thrower singled her to second base before being relieved for a pinch runner in
Leah Boghosian.
Terrapin roped a double to center field, scoring Murphy. With one down, Terrapin moved to third and Boghosian scored on a wild pitch for a 4-3 lead. Price doubled down the left field line, plating Terrapin. Then, rookie
Courtney Strauss got into the act with a single and a 6-3 advantage. However, the lead would vanquish as the Panthers tallied three runs in the sixth.
In the bottom of the stanza, Hyder led off the inning with a single and then things got interesting. Murphy blasted a 2-1 offering to right field in what looked to be a two-run homer, but it was ruled the ball was in play and a single. Hyder scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-6, but that's the only run of the frame the team would get.
Claflin knotted it at 7-7 in the top of the seventh, but Snyder's team made sure it would not play extra innings for the second straight game.
Price drew a lead-off walk and
Lyndie Dorgan came in as a pinch runner. With one down,
Hayley Elkins singled up the middle. Two batters later, Hyder came through with a double to right center field, plating Dorgan for the game-winner.
For the game, Hyder, Murphy, Price, Strauss and Terrapin had two hits apiece. Price and Terrapin each had two RBI while Hyder and Strauss had one each.
Terrapin picked up the win, striking out three in two innings of work.
The second game proved to be just as exciting.
USC Aiken loaded the bases in the first thanks in part to hit batters and walks. Strauss drove in the first run when she was hit by a pitch.
Kristan Lowery singled home Terrapin to make it 2-0. A throwing error led to Dorgan scoring in the second inning for a 3-0 edge. Terrapin ripped a double down the line to plate Dorgan, giving the home team a 4-0 advantage.
The Panthers fought back, making it a 4-3 game heading to the bottom of the sixth.
With one down in the inning, Dorgan helped her own cause with a single to center field before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Terrapin reached on a fielder's choice, putting Dorgan at third base. Price jumped on the first pitch she saw with an infield single, scoring Dorgan to make it 5-3.
A two-run homer by Claflin in the seventh knotted the game at 5-5.
Lowery drew a lead-off walk to start things in the bottom of the seventh.
Sarah Sams reached on a fielder's choice as runners were on first and second. Murphy came in as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Lowery then scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch for the 6-5 victory.
The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they host St. Augustine's in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
