MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a pair of games at Georgia College Sunday afternoon.
USC Aiken won the first game 9-2 before dropping the nightcap 4-2.
The Pacers are now 6-14 on the season, including 6-12 in league play.
In game one, head coach
Jaclin Poole's team got on the board with a pair of runs in the first. With one down,
Brianna Dow ripped a double to center field and scored on
Faith Cooke's two-bag hit. After a walk to
Brooke Moore,
Katelyn Powell belted a single to center field, driving in Cooke for a 2-0 edge.
Tied at 2-2 in the second inning,
Katie Painter singled and swiped second base. After moving to third when
Jessica Stanley reached on an error, Dow recorded a sacrifice fly, pushing the score to 3-2.
The visitors broke the game open in the third frame. Moore led off the stanza and was hit by a pitch. Powell laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Moore to second. After hustling to third on a wild pitch,
Emily Ayers rocketed a single to center field, driving in Moore.
Maci Hutto's double put runners in scoring position.
After Painter reached on a fielder's choice,
Holly Daum continued the hit parade with a base knock to left, driving in Ayers. With two down, Dow singled in Hutto and Painter. Cooke's extra-base hit drove in Daum and Dow for a 9-2 lead the Pacers would not relinquish.
With the offensive firepower behind her,
Caroline Cockrell had a solid day in the circle. She struck out two and gave up just one walk and two runs on four hits. Cockrell tossed a complete game en route to picking up the victory while throwing 101 pitches.
Ayers, Cooke, Dow and Hutto had two hits apiece in the win. Cooke and Dow each drove in three. Dow and Painter each scored twice.
In game two, Poole's team once again got on the board in its first at bat. With two away, Cooke stepped to the plate and launched an offering over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth. Ayers led off with a single to center field and hustled to second on a well-executed sacrifice bunt from Hutto. Painter ripped a pitch to center field, moving Ayers to third. Stanley's single to left field increased the margin to 2-0.
The Bobcats plated four runs in the sixth, taking a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning.
Skylar Morley came in as a pinch hitter and registered a base knock with one away in the seventh. She moved into scoring position on a groundout, but was stranded at second base to end the game.
For the contest, Stanley led the way with a pair of hits.
Rebekah Cook went the distance, striking out two and giving up a walk, four runs and eight hits in the loss.
The Pacers return to action Saturday when they close the regular season at North Georgia.
