AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team lost a 5-1 contest to Flagler Sunday in the home finale.
The Pacers are now 18-28 on the year, including 10-14 in PBC play.
Head coach
Jaclin Poole's team was led by
Skylar Morley and
Jessica Stanley with two hits apiece. Morley scored the team's lone run of the game.
Jena Dewalt,
Mallory Shaver and
Lauren Wexler all rattled off hits in the game. Dewalt drove in USC Aiken's run.
In the circle,
Payton Baker got the starting nod. She struck out five and gave up three earned runs in 4.1 innings of work.
Lakyn Phillips tossed the final 2.2 innings and registered three strikeouts. She gave up two runs on three hits with a walk.
In the bottom of the first inning,
Emily Ayers reached on a fielding error but was left stranded on a hard-hit grounder back to the pitcher. The Pacers threatened to get on the board in the second stanza. Morley ripped a single through the left side of the infield and moved to second on a bunt single from Wexler. However, a strikeout, fielder's choice and line-out ended the frame.
The Saints broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a two-run home run. Poole's team responded quickly. Shaver led off the inning with a single up the middle. Morley reached on a fielder's choice, erasing
Grace Ann Thompkins, who had come in as a pinch runner. Wexler drew a four-pitch walk to put two runners on before Dewalt singled in Morley to make it 2-1.
Flagler added a run in each of the next three innings for the five-run total on seven hits.
Stanley tried to get things going in the fifth with a one-out single but back-to-back fly balls ended the inning. USC Aiken stranded a runner in the sixth. With one away, Morley hustled to first, beating out a ball to the shortstop for a single. Wexler reached on a fielder's choice and a strikeout ended the frame.
With two down in the seventh, Stanley rocketed the first pitch she saw into center field. She moved to second on a wild pitch but a groundout ended the game.
The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Georgia Southwestern for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
