ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a pair of games with Claflin Monday afternoon.

The Pacers are now 5-7 on the season.

USC Aiken won the first game 7-2 before falling 7-6 in the nightcap.

In the opener, Katelyn Powell went three-for-four and Hanna Hyder registered two hits, including a triple. Kathleen St. Peter registered a pinch-hit double in the contest. Katie Painter tallied two RBI in the win.

Caroline Cockrell went the distance, totaling a complete-game, three-hitter. She accounted for three strikeouts in the victory.

USC Aiken struck first when Powell reached on an error and scored on a double from Sydney Burk. The Pacers broke it open in the third. Hannah Price got things going when she singled in Courtney Strauss, who had reached on a walk. Powell scored on an error. Hyder singled home Price. Brianna Dow registered a two-RBI single to left field for a 6-0 lead. 

Head coach Jerry Snyder's team struck again in the sixth. Hyder tripled to right field. With one down, St. Peter ripped a double to left, plating Hyder. 

In game two, Strauss blasted a two-run homer. Price accounted for three doubles, tying the school record, in the contest. Price garnered two RBI in the loss.

The Pacers scored a run in the first and two in the second in the nightcap. Price doubled home Strauss to start things off. In the second, Strauss launched her round-tripper for a 3-0 edge.

The Panthers scored five in the third and another in the fourth for a 6-3 lead. USC Aiken countered with two in the fifth. Price doubled in Powell and Painter's sacrifice fly scored Price. 

Down 7-5 in the seventh, Painter drove in Price to pull the team within one, but USC Aiken could not push across the tying run. 

The Pacers return to action Thursday when they travel to Converse for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.