MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The No. 22 University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team needed a late-inning rally to defeat Montevallo 12-11 Sunday afternoon.
The Pacers are now 34-11 on the season and wrap up PBC play with a 17-7 record.
USC Aiken plated seven runs over the final two innings to overcome a five-run deficit.
Head coach
Kenny Thomas' team got off to a great start in the series finale.
Jose Bonilla led off the game with a single to center field. He moved to third on
Luke Westerberg's base hit to right field.
Mitchell Price laid down a well-placed bunt, allowing Bonilla to score while Westerberg hustled to second. Each runner moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch.
Nile Goings grounded out, but Westerberg crossed home for a 2-0 advantage.
Brian Parreira ripped a single to center field for a 3-0 edge.
After Montevallo scored a run in the bottom of the inning, the home team knotted the contest in the second with a two-run homer before taking a 4-3 lead in the third.
Goings tied the score in the top of the fifth with a solo shot to straight-away center field. The Falcons, however, plated three runs in the bottom of the stanza to regain the lead.
Skylar Mercado's solo shot in the sixth pulled USC Aiken within two, but the home team accounted for three more runs for a 10-5 margin in the bottom of the seventh.
Thomas' team battled back in the eighth frame. Goings led things off with a single to left field and was able to trot home on Parreira's two-run blast, making it 10-7.
Zach Moon walked and moved to second on
Daulton Weeks' infield single. Mercado walked to load the bases.
Tyler Ammerman and Bonilla registered back-to-back sacrifice fly balls, bringing the Pacers within one at 10-9.
Montevallo scored a run in the eighth, but USC Aiken took the lead for good in the ninth.
Mitchell Price led off the inning with a solo homer to right center field. Goings walked and was lifted for
Freddie Beamon III as a pinch runner. Parreira belted a two-run round-tripper for what turned out to be the game-winner.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Falcons had the lead-off man on base, but a double play ended the threat. A routine fly ball completed the comeback for the visitors.
For the game, Parriera led the way with four hits in five at bats, including a pair of homers. He drove in five RBI and scored twice. Goings and Price each accounted for two hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
William Ard came in and worked the final two innings for USC Aiken en route to picking up the win.
The Pacers return to action Friday when they host Chowan at 7:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
