GREENWOOD, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a pair of games at Lander Friday afternoon, winning a 7-6 thriller before dropping a 5-3 contest in the nightcap.

The Pacers are now 15-25 on the season, including 7-11 in league play.

Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, Taylor Butts tied it with a powerful swing, sending the pitch high over the left field wall, hitting the light post, to make it 1-1.

The Bearcats struck for three runs in the fourth but head coach Jaclin Poole's team quickly responded.

Skylar Morley led off the fifth with a double to the gap in right center field. Two batters later, Butts ripped in a single to left center field, plating Morley. With two down, Jessica Stanley belted a pitch into center field, pulling the Pacers within one at 4-3.

With one down in the sixth, Mallory Shaver unleashed a home run to straight-away center field, tying the game at 4-4.

Lander scored a run in the sixth to go up 5-4 but Poole's team remained resilient. With one down in the seventh, Butts continued her stellar game with a single down the left field line. Ella Stone drew a walk and Grace Ann Thompkins came in as a pinch runner for Butts.

A pitching change by the Bearcats did not stifle USC Aiken at all. Stanley forced the new hurler to showcase all her pitches and earned a walk to load the bags. With two down, Emily Ayers garnered a walk, allowing Thompkins to score. Shaver singled home Stone and Stanley for a 7-5 advantage.

The home team plated a run in the bottom of the inning and had two on base. Poole lifted Payton Baker for Lakyn Phillips. She forced a groundout to end the game.

For the game, Butts had three hits, two RBI and scored twice. Shaver knocked in three on two hits while Stanley had one RBI and scored once. Morley tallied a hit and scored while Ayers drove in one. Stone and Thompkins also touched home safely in the win.

In the circle, Baker picked up the win, tossing 6.2 frames. She struck out four while walking just one. Phillips picked up the save.

During the first game, Shaver moved into a tie for 10^th place on the career home run list (14). Ayers surpassed USC Aiken softball legend Susan Williamson for sixth place on the career RBI list (94).

In game two, Lander jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in the first stanza but Poole's squad cut the deficit in the second frame when Shaver turned on a pitch and crushed it over the left field wall for a solo home run.

USC Aiken trimmed the margin to two, 5-3, with a pair of runs in the third inning. Stone led off the stanza with a walk but was erased on a double play. Shi Cain was hit by a pitch to put a runner on base with two down. Ayers uncorked a two-run blast to right field, making it a two-run deficit.

Morley reached base safely in the fourth but was left stranded. The Pacers were unable to put a runner on base in the fifth or sixth frames but Tara McGee earned a pinch hit walk with one down in the seventh. Jakayla McKelvey singled to put runners on first and second but the visitors were unable to push across the tying run.

Ayers, Cain, Daum, McKelvey, Morley and Shaver all had hits. Ayers and Shaver had round-trippers while Ayers led the team with two RBI. Ayers, Cain and Shaver scored a run.

Phillips tossed a complete game. She struck out five in the loss.

The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they play at Coker for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be availability at PacerSports.com.