AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team picked up a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Erskine Tuesday evening in a non-conference affair.

The Pacers are now 29-18 on the season.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first, head coach Michael Holder's team got things rolling with an infield hit by Josh Sharp. After stealing second, Jackson Hannon doubled him home. A Luke Parker single up the middle plated Hannon for a 2-2 tie.

After the Flying Fleet took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, USC Aiken took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with three runs. Kaden Blankenship started the stanza with a base hit to third base. Marcus Mastellone ripped a single through the hole in the right side to push Blankenship to third base. Two batters later, Justin Byrd singled in Blankenship. With two away, Joseph Mozingo belted a double high off the wall in left center field that scored both Pacers for a 5-3 lead.

Erskine scored a run in the sixth and tied it with a run in the eighth.

Holder's squad regained the advantage in the bottom half of the frame. Named Team MVP earlier in the day at the USC Aiken Athletics Banquet, Hannon drew a lead-off walk. Mozingo laid down a sensational sacrifice bunt to push Hannon to second. Quick on his feet, Hannon swiped third on the Flying Fleet. With the infield in, Parker pushed a pitch up the middle for a groundout RBI. 

With two runners on base in the top of the ninth, a deep fly ball to left field was secured by the Pacers on the warning track. The relay was sent to third base and was quickly thrown to second base. The Erskine student-athlete left early, resulting in the second out. Justin Byrd struck out the final batter to secure the save. 

Evan Condon got the start and struck out three. Jacob Bodkin tossed an inning while Cole Evilsizor worked two-thirds of an inning. Kevin Cox tossed the eighth inning, struck out one and got the win.

At the plate, seven different USC Aiken student-athletes notched a hit. Hannon and Mozingo each doubled. Mozingo and Parker each drove in two while Hannon touched home plate twice. 

The Pacers return to action Friday when they host Lander in the first game of the three-game series. First pitch on Friday is 5 p.m. It's also Alumni Weekend as well as Senior Day (Sunday).