AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken softball team wrapped up the regular season on Saturday against Georgia Southwestern. 

The Hurricanes took both games of the doubleheader by scores of 4-0 and 7-3 (8 innings). 

The Pacers are now 28-20 on the season and conclude PBC play at 11-13.

Head coach Jaclin Poole's team trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the second as Kate Newberry drew a walk. However, she was erased on a fielder's choice. The team's first hit of the game occurred in the third when Jena Dewalt belted a single through the right side of the infield. However, she was left stranded.

USC Aiken got things going in the fourth. With one down, Newberry again drew a base on balls. Anna Turner entered as a pinch runner and moved to second on Mallory Shaver's single to left field. Back-to-back outs ended the threat.

Trailing 4-0, Dewalt laced a two-out double down the right field line in the fifth, but a groundout concluded the inning. 

For the game, Dewalt had two hits and Shaver tallied one. 

In the circle, Payton Baker took the loss with the complete-game effort. She had a pair of strikeouts and gave up four runs, with only three earned, on five hits.

Game two was a stalemate until the bottom of the fifth inning. With two down, Austyn Dixon singled up the middle. Newberry reached on a throwing error and Shaver promptly blasted a three-run shot over the left field fence for a 3-0 advantage.

GSW made it a 3-2 game in the sixth before knotting the tying run in the top of the seventh. The Hurricanes plated four runs in the eighth inning for the 7-3 lead.

Poole's team continued to battle. With one down, Shaver singled down the left field line. Turner came in as a pinch runner and hustled to second on a wild pitch. Chloe Phillips drew a walk and Skylar Morley ripped a bounding ball back to the pitcher for an infield single to load the bases.

A wild pitch allowed Chloe Phillips and Morley to move up 60 feet, but Turner was called out at the plate. Ella Stone was hit by a pitch to once again put three Pacers on base, but the squad could not cross home plate in the inning.

For the game, Shaver led way with a game-best three hits and three RBI. Dixon, Morley and Stone all had hits in the contest.

In the circle, Lakyn Phillips worked 7.2 innings and had four strikeouts. She gave up seven runs, six of which were earned, on 12 hits. Baker tossed the final out of the game.

The Pacers return to action at the PBC Tournament. The PBC will release the full bracket after the conclusion of the regular season.