AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team knocked off Augusta University in a Thursday afternoon and evening doubleheader with final scores of 7-6 and 6-3 at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
The Pacers are now 25-11 on the season and 17-3 in the conference.
Head coach
Michael Holder's team trailed until there was one out in the bottom of the ninth inning of game one, but the squad gained the advantage when it needed to. Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth,
James Eckert singled and
Tai Gilbert came in as a pinch hitter.
Josh Sharp laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt and Gilbert moved to third on a base knock by
Jackson Hannon. After
Justin Byrd was hit by a pitch,
Joseph Mozingo blasted an 0-1 pitch to the left center field gap, knocking in two teammates for the 7-6 win.
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the third, USC Aiken cut the deficit to one. With one away, Eckert singled up the middle. Two batters later, Hannon registered a two-run round-tripper, putting the home squad on the board.
The Jaguars plated three runs in the ensuing at bat, but Holder's team stayed within striking distance. In the sixth, Mozingo ripped a pitch up the middle and moved to second on an infield hit by
Nick Tripp.
Luke Parker pushed each runner up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt. Mozingo scored on
Kaden Blankenship's sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, Hannon doubled to left field with two away and managed to trot home when
Justin Byrd took a pitch over the wall for a two-run blast to make it 6-5 while setting the Pacers up for the walk-off win two innings later.
For the game, Hannon went four-for-five with a home run and a double while driving in two and scoring three times. Eckert and Mozingo each had three hits. Byrd and Mozingo each drove in two in the victory.
Jacob Fletcher got the start and tossed seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two while giving up six runs – five of which were earned – on nine hits.
Matt Garcia struck out one while throwing the scoreless eighth frame.
Jacob Bodkin got the win while tossing a scoreless ninth stanza.
In game two, a pair of round trippers by Tripp catapulted the Pacers to a 6-3 victory.
Hannon started the scoring for USC Aiken in the first inning with a ground-rule double that scored Sharp who had reached base with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hannon moved to third on a fly out by Byrd. Mozingo plated Hannon with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Holder's team added a run in the bottom of the second inning when Blankenship scored on a sacrifice bunt by
Tyler Littlefield. Blankenship had reached base on an error, moved to second when
Kaden Usry was walked and found third by way of a stolen base.
The Jaguars tied the score in the top of the third with three runs of their own.
The Pacers broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth when Tripp hit a full count solo home run. It was his first of two home runs for the night.
Tripp hit his second of the night in the bottom of the sixth, this time driving in Byrd with him. Byrd singled and stole second before crossing home plate with Tripp. The home run would be the last runs of the night.
For the game, Sharp hit two-for-four with a run. Hannon hit for a double, crossed home plate and collected an RBI. Byrd also had a single, an RBI and a stolen base. Blankenship scored a run and stole a base. Mozingo and Littlefield each collected an RBI.
On the mound,
Joel Haney got the start and the win with 6.2 innings pitched giving up three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts against two walks. In relief,
AJ Deibel hurled 1.1 innings giving up a hit and striking out two.
Dylan Wilhelm earned his ninth save of the season pitching one frame, allowing no hits or runs and walking one.
The Pacers return to action tomorrow morning when they square off against Augusta at 11 a.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
