HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team dominated conference foe USC Beaufort with a 12-3 final score Friday evening. 

The Pacers are now 10-5 on the season including 4-0 in league play. The Sand Sharks fall to 8-8 and 4-3 in the conference. 

Head coach Michael Holder's team struck early with three runs in the first inning that were started by James Eckert with a single to left field. 

Eckert was pushed to second after a fielding error awarded Josh Sharp first base. 

Jackson Hannon reached first with a bunt that advanced Eckert to third and Sharp to second loading the bases. A walk to Justin Byrd scored Eckert. A double play erased Byrd at second. With Hannon on second and Sharp on third, a wild pitch brought Sharp home and moved Hannon to the corner. Nick Tripp then singled to right center scoring Hannon.  

The Sand Sharks scored two of their own in the bottom of the first cutting the lead to one run. They would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. 

The Pacers broke the tie in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Parker with the bases loaded. Sharp scored on the fly ball and accounted for the only run of the inning. 

USC Aiken added two more runs in the sixth and three more in each of the eighth and ninth innings.

In the sixth, Eckert bunted his way to first base and then stole his way to second. Sharp was walked and then the pair each stole a base. Hannon singled to center scoring both runners. 

In the eighth, Kaden Blankenship singled and then stole second. Eckert advanced Blankenship to third with a base knock to right field. Eckert then swiped second base. Sharp singled up the middle scoring both Eckert and Blankenship. After a pitching change, Sharp stole second. Hannon pushed Sharp to third with a single to left center. Hannon was able to find second by way of a stolen base. The next batter up, Byrd, then singled and scored Sharp. 

In the final frame, Dalton Graves came into the game to pinch hit for Joseph Mozingo, he was quickly walked. Marcus Mastellone was then hit by a pitch that sent Graves to second. Blankenship singled to right that advanced both runners. A wild pitch scored Graves while moving Blankenship to second and Mastellone to third. Eckert fouled out to right field scoring Mastellone and pushing Blankenship to third. Two batters later, Hannon flied out to right field scoring Blankenship. 

Pitcher Joel Haney collected his first win of the season on 7.1 innings pitched giving up eight hits, three runs, and nine strikeouts with no walks. 

Jacob Bodkin pitched 1.1 innings of relief giving up zero hits, no runs, no walks and struck out two. Aaron Flink ended the game for the Pacers by facing one batter and getting them to ground out. 

For the game, USC Aiken was led by Sharp who had four runs on three-for-four hitting with two RBI. Hannon had four hits on five at bats, with three RBI and a stolen base. Eckert went three-for-five with three runs. Blankenship accounted for two runs, while Hannon, Graves, and Mastellone each had one.

There were stolen bases a plenty as Eckert accounted for three, Sharp for two, and Hannon, Byrd, and Blankenship one each. 

The Pacers return to action tomorrow for game two of the series. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com for the 2 p.m. first pitch.