ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team registered an 8-4 victory over Flagler Sunday afternoon.

Zach Rafuse got the starting nod on the mound, throwing five innings. He gave up nine hits and walked two while striking out seven.

The Pacers got to work quickly, picking up a run in the top of the second on a lead off solo homer by Nile Goings. Flagler fought back though, plating two in the bottom of the third to take the lead, 2-1.

USC Aiken didn't let that stand though, scoring a run in the top of the fourth to tie it up, 2-2. Daulton Weeks led off with a single to left, followed by Brian Parreira drawing a walk and pushing Weeks to second. When Goings flied out to center field, Weeks used it as an opportunity to move over to third. He then came home on a fielder's choice off Conner Durden that managed to get Parreira out at second.

The Saints responded in the bottom of the inning though, pushing two more runs across home to make it 4-2 in their favor.

Things were fairly quiet on both sides until the Pacers struck back in the top of the seventh, plating one run. Philip Watcher gained a base-on-balls to start things off, advancing to second a batter later as Chandler Rogers smacked a single to left field. Both moved up a base as Jose Bonilla grounded out to first, and then Watcher came home on a single by Weeks to make it 4-3.

The Pacers managed to gain more ground just an inning later, pushing two more runs across home plate in the top of the eighth. Goings started the inning off with another solo home run. A batter later, Joey Smithers was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second. Watcher drew another walk and then slid over to second as Smithers was picked off at third. Then Brady O'Neil managed to push a single through the left side, bringing Watcher home and making it 5-4 in the Pacers' favor.

In the top of the ninth, USC Aiken opened the floodgates. Bonilla started off the inning with a solo homer to right field and was followed by a walk on Weeks, who then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Parreira then shot a single through the right side that brought Weeks across home plate for the second run of the inning. Two batters later, Smithers reached first on an error that pushed Parreira around to third. Parreira then managed to come home on a second error, ending the scoring at 8-4 for the Pacers.

For the game, Bonilla, Weeks and Goings all had two hits. Parreira, Durden, O'Neil and Rogers registered one hit apiece. Garvin Alston Jr. walked away with the win, and Hunter Shuff picked up the save.

On the mound, Alston Jr. and Shuff did two innings of work each while allowing no hits. Alston Jr. struck out one while walking one, and Shuff struck out two and walked two.

The Pacers return to action Saturday evening as they host Catawba at 7 p.m.