Aiken, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team earned its second shutout of the season with a 2-0 win on Saturday against the Embry-Riddle Eagles.
The Pacers are now 9-3 on the season. The Eagles are 8-5.
USC Aiken began the day concluding Friday night's game that was suspended due to rain in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Before the stoppage of play for the evening, Head coach
Michael Holder's team found itself in a deficit following a unique first inning that saw the Eagles collect four runs on zero hits.
The Pacers were able to narrow the lead to just three when
Justin Byrd scored
James Eckert with a single to right. Eckert had reached base on a single to left as the first batter of the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Embry-Riddle took a 6-1 lead on a two-run homerun.
USC Aiken closed the gap in the sixth inning.
Josh Sharp singled to right field and advanced to third when
Jackson Hannon doubled down the right field line. The next batter up, Byrd, reached first on a fielder's choice as Sharp was thrown out at home.
Luke Parker then singled up the middle which advanced Byrd to second and scored Hannon. This would serve as the last run of the game for the Pacers who lost 6-2.
For the game, USC Aiken compiled two runs on seven hits.
In game two of the makeshift doubleheader,
Matt Garcia,
Austin Sandifer, and
Dylan Wilhelm combined for a three-hit shutout. The shutout was the second for the Pacers on the 2023 season.
USC Aiken scored two runs in the fifth awarding the Pacers the only runs of the game. In the bottom of the inning,
Bryce Toci was walked after a tough battle at the plate that saw him behind in the count 0-2 after the first two pitches. After a series that included three fouls and four balls, Toci found himself on base.
The next batter up,
Marcus Mastellone, laid down a sacrifice bunt that pushed Toci to second. A groundout by
Kaden Blankenship advanced Toci to third. Eckert was then walked putting runners on the corners.
Sharp singled to first, but advanced to second on an errant throw by the Eagles' third baseman to first. A throw home to catch the baserunners was not in time as Toci had already crossed the plate and Eckert was ruled safe on the throw. A throw from the catcher to third caught Sharp trying to earn another extra base and ended the inning and the scoring for the game.
Garcia earned the win for the Pacers with five innings of work giving up three hits with six strikeouts.
Sandifer pitched three innings in relief allowing zero runs with two strikeouts.
Wilhelm earned his third save of the season pitching one frame and striking out two and allowing zero hits.
The Pacers return to action Sunday, Feb. 26 to complete the three game home series against the Embry-Riddle Eagles. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com for the 1 p.m. first pitch.
