NEWBERRY, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team dropped both games of the doubleheader at Newberry Sunday afternoon by scores of 4-3 and 15-5.

The Pacers are now 3-2 on the season while the Wolves improve to 4-1.

Game one was scoreless through the first three innings but that changed when head coach Michael Holder's team plated three runs in the fourth stanza.

Joshua Sharp led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. On the next pitch, Jackson Hannon recorded a bunt single to put two on. Justin Byrd was hit by a pitch, loading the bags.

Luke Parker broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single to shortstop, making it 1-0. Nick Tripp's fielder's choice pushed Hannon across home plate to make it 2-0. Kaden Blankenship's sacrifice bunt plated Byrd for a 3-0 edge.

The Wolves, however, sliced into the deficit with a run in the bottom of the inning and another in the sixth stanza.

Newberry tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth. Attempting to get the go-ahead run in scoring position on a steal, Marcus Mastellone was up for the task and rocketed the throw to second base. Nick Varda applied the tag for the final out of the inning, sending the game to the ninth all tied at 3-3. Neither team could push across a run in the ninth. The Wolves managed to score the game-winning run with two outs in the 10^th.

For the game, Joel Haney got the starting nod and worked six frames. He gave up two runs on four hits. Haney struck out six batters while walking just one. Austin Sandifer worked 1.1 innings of relief, giving up one hit and one run. Byrd came in during the eighth and worked one frame before Derek Espinoza came in. Espinoza tossed 1.1 frames and had two strikeouts before surrendering the final run for the home squad.

At the plate, Hannon had a pair of hits and scored a run. Byrd, Parker, Sharp and Tripp all had hits. Byrd's base knock went for two bases. Blankenship, Parker and Tripp registered one RBI apiece.  

USC Aiken left seven runners on base in the contest. The team earned three walks and swiped a base.

In game two, James Eckert led off the game with a single to left field and moved to third on Sharp's base hit down the left field line. With one down, Eckert and Sharp registered the double steal to perfection, making it 1-0 in favor of the visitors.

Newberry took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the first. The home squad tacked on three more in the second and two in the third for an 8-1 advantage.

USC Aiken had a tremendous opportunity to plate runs in the fourth inning. With one down, Tai Gilbert was hit by a pitch. Tripp singled to center field, pushing Gilbert to second base. Blankenship was hit by a pitch to load the bags. However, back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.  

Trailing 15-1 in the seventh, Joseph Mozingo belted a single up the middle. Two batters later, Eckert's single moved Mozingo up 90 feet. An infield single by Sharp loaded the bases. Hannon swung at the first pitch he saw and blasted a base hit to center field, plating Mozingo.

Bryce Toci walked, allowing Eckert to trot home. Gilbert's single drove in Sharp to make it 15-4. Varda's single down the left field line drove in Hannon but back-to-back outs ended the seven-inning contest.

For the game, Eckert and Sharp had two hits apiece. Eckert led the way by crossing home twice. Hannon, Mozingo and Sharp all reached home plate once. Gilbert, Hannon, Toci and Varda were each credited with one RBI apiece.

The teams return to action tomorrow when they square off at Roberto Hernandez Sta at 4 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.