AIKEN, S.C. – The USCA softball team lost a pair of games to No. 14 Francis Marion by scores of 2-1 and 6-2 in the home opening doubleheader Sunday.

The Pacers are now 5-5 on the season while the Patriots stand at 6-2.

Head coach Jaclin Poole's team took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second frame. With one down, Autumn Fisher was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, she swiped a base. Looking at a 1-2 pitch, Tara McGee hit an offering with an abundance of spin on it. The ball landed between first and second base and curled back toward first for an infield single. Fisher took off and slid across home plate for a 1-0 lead.

Tied at 1-1 in the top of the fifth, FMU had runners on first and third. Payton Baker's offering was hit toward left field. However, Fisher made a spectacular catch on the run, securing the ball while wrapping up the frame.

The Patriots managed to knot the game in the fifth inning and took a 2-1 lead with a run in the seventh stanza. Poole's team tried to tie the contest in the seventh, but Ashlyn White, who came in after a walk to Tara McGee, was left stranded.

For the game, Fisher, Johnson and McGee had hits. McGee drove in Fisher for the team's lone run.

In the circle, Baker had nine strikeouts and gave up two runs on three hits with two walks. She tossed a complete game in the loss.

Game two saw the visitors plate three runs in the first and another in the second stanza for a 4-0 advantage.

Down 5-0 in the fifth, McGee laced a double to right field for the team's first extra base hit at the facility.

Trailing 6-0 in the seventh, Kate Newberry ripped a single in the seventh frame. Anna Turner came in as a pinch runner, but she was left stranded with back-to-back outs.

For the game, McGee and Newberry had hits. 

In the circle, Lakyn Phillips tossed a complete game. She had five strikeouts in the loss.

The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they host Erskine for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.