AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team lost a pair of games to Lander Sunday afternoon by scores of 4-3 and 9-0.
The Pacers are now 16-9 overall and 3-2 in league play. The Bearcats improve to 23-2 overall and 5-0 against PBC teams.
Head coach
Jaclin Poole's team jumped on top of game one with a pair of runs in the first inning. With two down,
Mallory Shaver walked. Two pitches later,
Emily Ayers unloaded on a pitch, blasting the offering high over the left center field fence for a 2-0 advantage.
USC Aiken increased the lead in the bottom of the second stanza.
Lauren Wexler singled to lead off the inning.
Holly Daum laid down an outstanding sacrifice bunt, pushing Wexler to second base. She hustled to third on a groundout before coming home on a single from
Taylor Butts for a 3-0 edge.
The Bearcats pulled within one on a two-run homer in the third. Daum nearly secured an over-the-fence catch, but she was unable to bring it back in the park. Lander took the lead with two runs in the fourth for a one-run advantage.
In the bottom of the sixth, Ayers recorded a single with one away. However, she was called out on the ensuing play for interference. The Pacers were unable to push across the tying run despite
Brooke Moore being on first base with two down.
With one away in the seventh,
Ashlyn White hit a shot in the left center field gap, but she was erased in a rundown.
For the game, Ayers had a pair of hits and two RBI. Butts, Wexler and White all had singles in the contest. Butts drove in a run while Wexler scored once.
Payton Baker took the loss. She walked one and gave up four runs on 10 hits in the complete game.
In game two,
Jena Dewalt led everyone with three hits while Ayers had one. Lander jumped on top with a run in the first. Dewalt singled and moved to second on a bunt before hustling to third on a wild pitch. However, back-to-back outs ended the threat.
USC Aiken put a runner on in the second and left two on in the third stanza. Butts drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Dewalt's infield single. However, back-to-back outs ended the inning.
Lander recorded three runs in the fifth for the 9-0 win.
Lakyn Phillips took the loss. She struck out three batters over 4.1 innings.
Rebekah Cook tossed the final two-thirds of an inning, registering one strikeout.
Trailing 6-0 in the fourth, Ayers led off the frame with a single. After that, the Pacers were unable to get the ball out of the infield in the inning.
The Pacers return to action tomorrow for the final game of the series beginning at 5 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
