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University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics

February 9, 2019: The USC Aiken Pacers win game 2 of a 3 game series 10-5 during an NCAA baseball game against the Shepherd Rams at the Roberto Hernandez Stadium in Aiken, SC.
Artie Walker
10
Winner USC Aiken USCA 8-3
2
Francis Marion FMU 8-4
Winner
USC Aiken USCA
8-3
10
Final
2
Francis Marion FMU
8-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
USC Aiken USCA 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 1 2 10 10 1
Francis Marion FMU 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 5 4

W: Spence, Mitch (2-1) L: W. Specht (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Durden Goes Yard Twice As Pacers Defeat Patriots

FLORENCE, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team posted a 10-2 victory over Francis Marion Friday evening.

The Pacers are now 8-3 on the year and 1-0 in league play. The Patriots are 8-4 overall and 5-2 against conference foes.

Mitch Spence got the starting nod on the mound, throwing six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks while striking out six en route to earning the victory.

Conner Durden belted a solo homer in the top of the second for the first run of the game. FMU tied it in the third and took a 2-1 lead with a run in the fifth.

However, USC Aiken evened the game in the sixth when Durden blasted his second round-tripper of the game, making it 2-2.

A five-run seventh helped the Pacers put the game away. Jackson Hannon started things off by drawing a lead-off walk and was pushed all the way over to third when Sean McQuillan grabbed both first and second on an error. Hannon was brought home on a groundout by Alex Mills.

An intentional walk to Durden and a walk to Luke Leisenring loaded the bags. Blake Jenkins reached on another error by FMU, pushing everyone forward a base while scoring McQuillan. Durden scored on a groundout from Scott Huntley. Trey Polewski recorded a hit up the middle, bringing in Leisenring and Jenkins, making it a 7-2 contest.

The Pacers scored another run in the top of the eighth. After Mills reached on a throwing error, Leisenring slammed a double to left center, pushing Mills to third. Capitalizing on a wild pitch to Jenkins, Mills raced across home plate.

With two men down in the ninth, Philip Watcher reached on another error and grabbed second. Hannon threaded a double down the left line, bringing Watcher home. McQuillan singled home Hannon to round out the scoring.

For the game, Durden topped everyone with three hits, two of which were home runs. Meanwhile, Smithers, Hannon, McQuillan, Leisenring, Jenkins, Polewski and Watcher all grabbed one hit apiece.

On the mound, Austin Sandifer put in two innings worth of work while allowing no hits and striking one out. Connor Christensen was on the mound for one inning, striking out one.

The Pacers return to action Saturday afternoon as they take on Francis Marion in the second game of the series at 2 p.m.
 
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