GREENWOOD, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team lost a pair of close games at Lander Friday evening by scores of 2-1 and 7-4.
The Pacers conclude the season with a 22-24-1 record.
Head coach
Jerry Snyder's team had a chance to take the lead of game one in the first inning. With two down,
Hannah Price singled and
Chandler Terrapin drew a walk. However, a deep fly ball by
Magan Jean Thrower was snagged to end the threat.
The Bearcats took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but USC Aiken continued to battle.
Julianne Leduc led off the stanza by being hit with a pitch. With two down, Price singled, allowing Leduc to move to third but a groundout ended the stanza.
Kristan Lowery reached first on an error in the fifth inning and was quickly pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt from Leduc.
Brielle Jungblut reached first while Lowery hustled to third, but a strikeout concluded the frame.
The Pacers had a chance to knot the game in the seventh.
Hayley Elkins led off the inning with a walk. With two down, Leduc was hit by a pitch. With
Lyndie Dorgan at second base as a pinch runner, Jungblut slapped a single, pulling the team within one at 2-1. However, the team could get no closer in the one-run loss.
In game two, USC Aiken trailed 1-0, but took its first lead of the day with a pair of runs in the fourth.
Chandler Terrapin earned a leadoff walk. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Thrower. Elkins brought Terrapin home with a two-run shot, giving the visitors a 2-1 advantage.
The Bearcats regained the lead in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs.
Trailing 7-2 in the sixth, USC Aiken went back to work. Price singled and moved to second on Terrapin's base knock. Thrower's base hit loaded the bags. Elkins lifted a sacrifice fly, scoring Price. Terrapin scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-4. Back-to-back fly ball outs ended the scoring opportunity.
The Pacers, relentless all season, battled back in the seventh. With one down, Jungblut drew a walk. With one down,
Courtney Strauss lifted a fly ball, allowing Jungblut to move to second. Price drew a base on balls, but a strikeout ended the game.
It marked the last career game for
Julianne Leduc and
Magan Jean Thrower.