AIKEN, S.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team registered an 8-2 victory over North Georgia Friday evening.

The Pacers are now 14-6 on the season, including a 5-2 mark in league play.

Zach Rafuse got the starting nod on the mound. Through seven innings of work, he gave up three hits and walked one while striking out 14. Rafuse held the Nighthawks to just one run. Rafuse was one of three hurlers that combined for a school-record 20 strikeouts, besting the previous mark of 18, which was set in 1992 against Georgia Southern (3/26/1992) and tied in 2015 against Georgia Southwestern (3/6/15).

Head coach Kenny Thomas' team took the lead early on, putting up two runs in the bottom of the second. Nile Goings led off with a single to center field and was followed by Brian Parreira, who was hit by a pitch. After both advanced one base on a wild pitch, Philip Watcher singled to second base to bring Goings home, making it 1-0.

The Nighthawks struck back in the top of the third by plating a run to tie the game up.

In the bottom of the inning, USC Aiken took the lead back on a lead-off home run off the bat of Jose Bonilla for a 2-1 edge. The score remained that way until three innings later when the Pacers essentially put the game away.

In the bottom of the sixth, Goings drew a base on balls and was pushed all the way to third by a single down the right field line from Parreira. Goings was then brought home when Daulton Weeks singled to left field. He moved to second on an error.

After that, Watcher drew a walk but was promptly thrown out at second on a fielder's choice while Chandler Rogers reached at first. On the play, Weeks advanced to third and Parreira crossed home plate. A batter later, Rogers moved to second on a wild pitch and Bonilla drew a walk. Joey Smithers was also walked, pushing Weeks home to make it a 5-1 contest.
 
Things were quiet again until North Georgia brought another one home in the top of the eighth to make it 5-2.
 
In the bottom of the eighth though, USC Aiken managed to gain another three runs for an 8-2 count. Watcher reached on an error and moved to second as Rogers drew a walk. Sean McQuillan reached first on a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and second. Bonilla stepped up to bat and managed to hit his second homer of the game – a three-run shot – for the final runs of the contest.
 
For the game, Bonilla led the team with three hits. Smithers, Goings, Parreira, Weeks and Watcher all registered one hit apiece. Zach Rafuse earned the win.

On the mound, Daniel Wiggins and Freddie Beamon III worked one inning apiece. Both struck out three batters and Wiggins gave up one run.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.