MARS HILL, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team split a doubleheader at Mars Hill Monday, winning 4-3 before falling 3-2 in eight innings.
The Pacers are now 6-16 on the season.
In the first game, head coach
Jaclin Poole's team got on the board in the first inning with a pair of runs.
Jessica Stanley opened the game with a walk and promptly stole second base. After a walk to
Lauren Wexler,
Emily Ayers reached on a fielder's choice. An error on the shortstop allowed Stanley to score on the play for the 1-0 lead.
Ayers and Wexler recorded a double steal. With one down,
Mallory Shaver reached on a fielder's choice and a throwing error allowed Wexler to score for a 2-0 advantage.
Taylor Butts was hit by a pitch to start the second stanza.
Ella Stone's superb sacrifice bunt allowed Butts to move to second. Stanley drove her in for the 3-0 working margin.
The Lions tied it at 3-3 with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth, but Poole's team tightened down the defense and went on top with what turned out to be the game-winning run in the seventh.
With one down,
Grace Ann Thompkins came in as a pinch hitter and reached on an error. She was erased when Stanley reached on a fielder's choice. Wexler's single allowed Stanley to move to third base. Ayers singled home Stanley for a 4-3 advantage.
The Indians put runners on second and third but
Lakyn Phillips recorded two pop-ups to end the game.
For the game, Ayers and Stanley had two hits apiece. Ayers drove in two while Stanley and Shaver each had one RBI. Stanley scored twice while Butts and Wexler crossed home once apiece.
Phillips went the distance for the victory. She gave up three runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts against one walk. Her 11 strikeouts allowed her to move into eighth place for career strikeouts, surpassing Hannah Price. Phillips now stands 10 strikeouts from tying for seventh place at USC Aiken.
Game two saw the home team take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first but Poole's team knotted the score in the third. Stone reached on an error with one down. Two batters later, she swiped second and moved to third on an error. Stone hustled across home plate when Wexler rocketed a single to center field.
Down 2-1 in the top of the fifth.
Shi Cain came in as a pinch hitter and singled. Stone came back in the game and moved to second on Stanley's sacrifice bunt. After moving to third on a passed ball, Stone scored on Wexler's sacrifice fly to left field.
Neither team could push across a run in the sixth or seventh innings. With a runner placed on second base in extra innings due to the international tiebreaker rule, the Lions managed to record a two-out single for the game-winning run.
For the game, Ayers, Cain,
Tara McGee, Thompkins and Wexler all had hits. Wexler drove in Stone twice.
Payton Baker took the loss without surrendering an earned run. She struck out 10 batters against one walk.
The Pacers return to action Wednesday at Claflin for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
