DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team notched a 7-3 win at North Georgia Saturday afternoon.

The Pacers are now 7-2 overall, including 2-0 in league play.

Head coach Michael Holder's team was led by James Eckert and Josh Sharp. Each had a game-high two hits and scored twice. Luke Parker drove in three runs while Justin Byrd drove in two. Jackson Hannon had one RBI in the win.

USC Aiken got on the board in the third inning. Jose Hernandez led off the frame with a single to left field. Two batters later, he motored to third on a base hit from Eckert. With runners on second and third, Sharp reached on a fielder's choice while Hernandez scored after interference was called. Hannon's groundout plated Eckert and Byrd doubled home Sharp for the 3-0 lead.

UNG scored a run in the third and two in the seventh, knotting the score at 3-3.

The Pacers broke through with a four-run ninth to put the game out of reach. Dalton Graves came in as a pinch hitter and singled to left field. After a walk to Eckert, each runner moved up 90 feet on a bunt single from Sharp.

With one out, Byrd lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Eckert. Parker's three-run blast gave USC Aiken some insurance in the 7-3 victory.

UNG managed to get two runners on but Byrd forced a groundout to end the game. 

Matt Garcia got the starting nod on the mound and worked four strong innings. He gave up one unearned run. Austin Sandifer went two frames and did not give up a run. After Derek Espinoza worked two-thirds of an inning, Dylan Wilhelm came in and tossed 1.1 innings with a strikeout to pick up the win. Justin Byrd worked the final inning.

For the game, USC Aiken pounded out seven runs on 11 hits with one error. The Nighthawks had three runs on nine hits.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow for the final game of the series. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com for the 1 p.m. first pitch.