BELMONT, N.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a pair of games at Belmont Abbey, winning 10-3 before falling 4-1.
The Pacers are now 14-16 on the year while the Crusaders are 12-12.
In game one,
Leah Boghosian singled to center field with one down in the third. After swiping second, she raced home on a double from
Katie Painter for a 1-0 lead.
Head coach
Jerry Snyder's team broke open the game in the fourth stanza.
Katelyn Powell singled up the middle and a fielding error allowed
Brianna Dow to reach, putting two on. An infield single from
Sarah Sams loaded the bags before a walk to
Kathleen St. Peter's walk made it 2-0. A walk to Boghosian pushed it to 3-0 before
Courtney Strauss was credited with a sacrifice fly. Painter singled in a pair of runners before Powell and Dow each singled, scoring two more to make it 8-0.
Leading 8-3 going into the seventh, Sams singled and was able to trot home when St. Peter blasted a two-run homer to left field for the 10-3 final.
For the game, Painter had three hits while St. Peter drove in three. Powell and Sams each had two hits. Boghosian and Sams each scored twice.
Hannah Price threw a complete game. She struck out three while walking one in the victory.
In game two, Belmont Abbey plated a run in the first and second before extending the margin to four after a two-run sixth stanza.
The Pacers had opportunities throughout the game to score, but the team was unable to plate a run until the seventh.
In the first, Price doubled and was on third after a single from Powell, but a grounder ended the threat. Snyder's team loaded the bases in the second, but a strikeout ended the frame.
USC Aiken once again loaded the bags in the fifth, but a deep fly ball ended the stanza.
After leaving two on in the sixth, the Pacers broke through in the seventh. With one down, Dow was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. St. Peter doubled in Powell with two down, but a groundout ended the game.
For the game, Price and Strauss had three hits apiece while St. Peter tallied two hits.
The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Georgia Southwestern in a doubleheader
starting at 2 p.m.
