AIKEN, S.C. – Lakyn Phillips tossed her first career no-hitter and Payton Baker recorded a shutout as the University of South Carolina Aiken softball team swept Claflin Wednesday in non-conference action by scores of 1-0 and 9-0.

The Pacers improve to 23-16 on the season while the visitors fall to 14-10.

In the nightcap, Phillips was exceptional. After walking the first batter of the game, she struck out the next five batters en route to a 14-strikeout performance. In the six-inning game, Phillips faced just one batter over the minimum as she hit one batter. 

In the first, Emily Ayers fired a rocket to second base, ending the frame when she threw out the runner trying to steal. Head coach Jaclin Poole's team got on the board in the bottom of the frame and never looked back. Lauren Wexler led off the inning with a double. Two batters later, Ayers ripped a base hit to center field. An error allowed Wexler to score for a 1-0 lead.

The Pacers added to the margin in the third with a pair of runs. Wexler was the catalyst, singling to lead off the frame. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brianna Dow. Ayers fouled out, but Wexler hustled to third. A fielding error by the third baseman allowed her to race home to make it 2-0. On the ensuing pitch, Brooke Moore crushed the offering over the center field fence to make it 3-0.

The score remained the same until the sixth. With one away, Jena Dewalt singled and swiped second. Courtney Lesiner walked and moved to third when Skylar Morley bunted. Dewalt scored on the play on a miscue by the first baseman. After Morley stole second, Taylor Butts laid down a well-executed bunt that scored Lesiner. Wexler followed her up with a single, plating Morley. After Dow singled to put two on, Ayers ended the nightcap early with a three-run blast over the left field fence for the 9-0 win.

Nine of the last 10 outs came via strikeouts by Phillips, including all three batters in the sixth inning. 

At the plate, Wexler led the way with three hits. She drove in a run and scored three times. Ayers had a pair of hits, including the three-run homer run. Moore drove in one and scored once in the game. Dewalt, Dow and Morley all had one hit apiece and each scored. Lesiner also crossed home in the victory.

In the opener, Baker was impressive in the circle. She scattered six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out 10.

USC Aiken had a pair of hits in the first, but the team was unable to push across a run. After Claflin had a lead-off single in the second, Ayers picked off the runner. 

In the fourth, Poole's team had runners on first and second as Mallory Shaver walked and moved to second on Moore's single. However, a groundout ended the threat. 

With one down in the sixth, Ayers doubled to right field. Two batters later, Moore walked, but a pop fly ended the stanza.

Claflin got things going in the seventh, but Baker was up for the challenge. The visitors posted back-to-back hits to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt pushed each runner up 60 feet. However, Baker registered 0-2 counts on the next two batters and got both out swinging.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ashlyn White came in as a pinch hitter and drew a full-count walk. She swiftly stole second. With two away, Wexler ripped a double to right center, allowing White to score the game-winning run. 

At the plate, Ayers and Wexler had two hits apiece while Butts and Moore had one hit each. Wexler drove in White for the lone run of the game.    

The Pacers return to action Friday when they host No. 12 North Georgia at 4 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.