Late Game Heroics Lift Pacers To Sweep of Saints

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team reeled off a pair of victories over Flagler by scores of 4-2 (10 innings) and 2-0 Tuesday afternoon in Peach Belt Conference play.

The Pacers improve to 14-8-1 on the season and 3-3 in league play. The Saints are now 19-14 overall and 2-2 against conference foes.

Head coach Jerry Snyder's team fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first of game one and was unable to produce any offense until the last at bat.

Flagler's hurler had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the sixth when Hanna Hyder registered a pinch-hit bloop single to left field. Sydney Kate Murphy roped a single to left field to put two runners on, but the Pacers were unable to push a run across.

However, with two strikes on her and two away in the bottom of the seventh, Hayley Elkins connected with a pitch and sent it on a line drive over the right center field fence for her first round-tripper of the season, which forced extra innings.

USC Aiken left a runner on in the eighth and had two on board in the ninth, but the squad could not score the game-winner.

The Saints made it a 2-1 game with a base hit in the top of the 10^th, but Snyder's team responded to the pressure. With one down, Julianne Leduc took a 2-2 pitch into center field. The infield played in for Leah Boghosian, who promptly smacked one into the grass in left field. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up 60 feet.

Still with only one down, Murphy saw a 1-0 pitch to her liking. Despite the fierce wind blowing in, Murphy muscled the ball over the left field fence for the game-winning three-run homer.

For the game, Murphy had two hits and three RBI while scoring once. Boghosian, Elkins, Leduc and Hyder each had one hit.

Sarah Timmerman, Boghosian and Leduc had outstanding games in the field. Timmerman registered an assist and three putouts while Leduc made a diving infield grab as one of her five putouts. Boghosian saved a run with an acrobatic catch in the 10^th frame.

In the circle, Dorgan tossed a complete game. She worked all 10 innings and struck out three batters to pick up the victory.

Snyder's team did not wait long to score in game two. Murphy drew a walk with one away in the first inning. Chandler Terrapin hit a high shot down the right field line, allowing Murphy to race to third. Hannah Price grounded out to third base, allowing Murphy to make it a 1-0 game.

The Saints put a runner on in the second and a pair on in the third, but Terrapin dominated the opposing squad and kept the visitors off the scoreboard.

Neither team could generate any offense until the fifth stanza. Courtney Strauss singled on a 1-2 pitch. She hustled to second on Leduc's single down the left field line. With two down, Murphy gave the Pacers some breathing room with a single through the left side, scoring Strauss.

Flagler put a runner on in the sixth, but Terrapin shut down the visitors. In the seventh, the Saints registered a two-out triple, but Terrapin forced a groundout to Elkins for the final out.

For the game, Leduc went two-for-two at the plate.

In the circle, Terrapin went the distance. She struck out four and gave up just three hits to pick up the complete-game win.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they host Montevallo in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.