AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team fell 5-4 to Augusta Sunday afternoon.
USC Aiken is now 20-17 on the season and 12-9 in league play. The Jaguars sit at 17-21 overall and 6-18 in the PBC.
Garvin Alston Jr. got the starting nod on the mound, throwing 4.2 innings and striking out five.
The Pacers picked up their first run in the bottom of the fourth. With one out,
Chandler Rogers smacked a single to left field and rushed all the way to third on a throwing error.
Cary Holloway stepped up and brought Rogers home on a ground out to make it 2-1.
Despite Augusta picking up another run in the top of the fifth, USC Aiken struck back in the bottom of the inning to tie things up.
Jackson Hannon grabbed first on a leadoff walk, stole second and then hurried over to third on a wild pitch.
Philip Watcher drew his own walk and was immediately pushed to second as
Joey Smithers placed a perfect bunt to bring Hannon the rest of the way home. After
Conner Durden reached on a fielder's choice,
Luke Leisenring floated a single out to left that brought Watcher across home plate and made it a 3-3 ballgame.
The Jaguars picked up two more runs in the top of the eighth.
Attempting to take the game back in the bottom of the eighth, the Pacers only managed to pick up one run. With one out on the board,
Alex Mills slammed a homer into the scoreboard to make it 5-4. USC Aiken was unable to push across the tying run.
For the game, Hannon, Mills, Rogers and Smithers all grabbed two hits, while both Durden and Leisenring had one hit apiece.
On the mound,
Austin Sandifer threw 2.1 innings while
Lindsey Robinson Jr. and
Henry Cartrett worked an inning each. Sandifer struck out three, Cartrett had two and Robinson Jr. picked up one.
The Pacers return to action Tuesday, April 9 as they host Wingate at 4 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.