AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a pair of games against Flagler Sunday afternoon.
USC Aiken won the first game 4-0 before falling 3-2 in 10 innings.
The Pacers are now 18-22 on the season while the Saints improve to 23-14.
Head coach
Jerry Snyder's team broke open the game with three runs in the fourth inning.
Katelyn Powell led off the inning with a single to right field.
Hannah Price followed it up with a base knock to left center.
Courtney Strauss reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Powell to scamper to third. After Strauss swiped second,
Katie Painter's single plated Powell.
Powell promptly stole second, she and Strauss scored when
Sydney Burk ripped a double down the left field line for a 3-0 advantage.
In the sixth, Price singled to the gap in left center field. She was lifted for
Leah Boghosian as a pinch runner. Strauss bunted her to second. Two batters later, Burk belted a single to left field that scored Boghoisan for a 4-0 edge.
For the game, Burk, Painter and Price had two hits apiece. Burk drove in three runs while Painter had one RBI.
In the circle,
Caroline Cockrell was outstanding. She tossed a complete game and struck out two while giving up just three walks and a pair of singles.
USC Aiken scored a run in the bottom of the first inning of game two.
Holly Daum drew a leadoff walk and swiped second base. After moving to third on a wild pitch, she raced home on a groundout by Powell.
Trailing 2-1 in the third, Price singled with two outs before moving to second on a base hit from Strauss. Painter slapped a single down the right field line, knotting the contest at 2-2. Despite having two on base, the team could not push across another run in the stanza.
The score remained 2-2 through seven innings, forcing extra frames. The Pacers had a base runner in the eighth. FC went ahead 3-2 with a run in the 10
th and
Hanna Hyder registered a pinch hit single in the bottom of the inning, but she was left stranded.
For the game, Painter led the way with a pair of hits.
The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they host Virginia State in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.