AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team registered a pair of wins against Converse on opening day by scores of 4-0 and 16-4.
The Pacers are 2-0 on the year while the Valkyries are 0-2.
Head coach
Jerry Snyder's team recorded a dominant pitching performance from
Lyndie Dorgan while
Hannah Price had a career day by going 6-6 with a grand slam, 10 total bases and five RBI.
In the first game, Price led everyone with three hits, including a double.
Leah Boghosian and
Brielle Jungblut each posted two hits and one RBI apiece. Boghosian,
Jessica Stanley and
Chandler Terrapin, along with Price, all crossed home plate.
Dorgan recorded the complete-game shutout. She gave up just five hits while striking out 10 on just 84 pitches.
Converse had a chance to score in the first, putting runners on first and third, but Dorgan got a fly ball out to end the threat.
After leaving a pair of runners stranded in the second inning, Snyder's team broke through in the fourth. Price got things going with a double to the gap. After a walk to Terrapin, Stanley bunted to load the bags.
Katelyn Powell's sacrifice fly plated Price for the game-winning run.
Dorgan helped her own cause by lifting a sacrifice fly before Boghosian's single singled Standley. After Boghosian stole second, Jungblut doubled her home with a shot to left center field for the 4-0 final.
The visitors threatened in the seventh, but Dorgan forced a line drive out to Stanley to end the game.
Featuring nearly a completely different line-up in game two, the Pacers managed to get all nine student-athletes on base throughout the contest.
Courtney Strauss had a career-high four hits while rookie
Caroline Cockrell,
Kristan Lowery and Price all managed three hits apiece. Hannah Hyder and
Kathleen St. Peter notched two hits apiece. Price drove in five while Lowery and Strauss knocked in three and two, respectively.
Hyder and Strauss crossed home three times apiece. Cockrell, Lowery, Price and
Deja Robinson trotted to home plate twice each while
Maci Hutto scored once and knocked in a run.
In the circle, Cockrell got the start and went the distance. She struck out seven while giving up three earned runs on five hits. Cockrell walked just two and threw 95 pitches.
Tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the second, Lowery's sacrifice fly scored Cockrell. Strauss singled in Hyder before St. Peter ripped a single to left, scoring Strauss. Hutto's walk allowed Price to score. Cockrell's single pushed St. Peter across home plate for a 6-1 edge.
Price drove in Lowery in the third and Strauss scored off an error to make it 8-1.
USC Aiken plated eight runs on nine hits in the fourth – with four runs coming via the grand slam by Price. Hyder, Lowery and Strauss all picked up two hits apiece in the fourth inning.
The Pacers return to action Thursday when they host Florida Southern. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
