ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a pair of conference games at Flagler, winning the first contest 9-4 before dropping the second game 3-1.
The Pacers are now 8-16 overall and 1-1 in league play.
With the game one win, head coach
Jerry Snyder picked up his 750
th career victory.
USC Aiken jumped on top early. In the top of the first,
Courtney Strauss launched a solo shot over the left field wall for a 1-0 edge.
The Saints plated three runs in the second stanza, but the Pacers would battle back. In the top of the fourth, USC Aiken tallied six runs and never looked back.
Sydney Kate Murphy blasted a leadoff double to right center field and moved to third on a single by
Kathleen St. Peter.
Leah Boghosian reached on an error, allowing Murphy and St. Peter to cross home, tying the score at 3-3.
Boghosian swiped second and hustled to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Janee McCarthy.
Sarah Sams singled home Boghosian and raced to second on a single by
Brielle Jungblut. Strauss doubled home Sams for a 5-4 edge.
Hannah Price went to the opposite field, plating Jungblut. After a walk to
Chandler Terrapin, Murphy picked up her second hit of the frame, driving in Strauss for the four-run advantage.
Leading 7-4 heading into the seventh, Snyder's squad added two more insurance runs. St. Peter walked and hustled to third when Boghosian launched a double to the gap. McCarthy walked and Sams singled home St. Peter. Two batters later, Strauss blasted a shot to third base, but it was ruled an error. Boghosian scored the final run on the play.
For the game, Jungblut, Strauss, Price, Murphy, St. Peter and Sams all had two hits apiece. Sams and Strauss each drove in two. Boghosian, St. Peter and Strauss all crossed home plate twice.
Lyndie Dorgan worked five innings, picking up the win. She struck out three while walking two. The Saints scored four runs off of her, three of which were earned. Carline Cockrell entered and worked two frames en route to earning her first career save.
In game two of the doubleheader, the Saints were able to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning, tallying two runs for a 2-0 advantage.
The Pacer offense remained silent until the sixth inning. Murphy began the stanza with a single to left field, followed by a
Lilly Shoaf walk. With one out, Sams singled to right field, scoring Murphy and narrowing the deficit to 2-1. However, the Pacers were unable to tally anymore runs in the stanza.
The Saints would strike again in the bottom of the sixth, scoring one run for a 3-1 advantage.
The Pacers threatened to score in the seventh inning. With one out,
Hannah Price ripped a single to left field, followed by a Terrapin walk. St. Peter promptly blasted a single to left field to load the bases with one out, but the team was unable to push across anyone.
For the game, Jungblut, St. Peter, and Sams tallied two hits apiece, with Sams registering one RBI.
In the circle, Price worked six innings. She registered eight strikeouts.
The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they play at Embry-Riddle at 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available on PacerSports.com.