AIKEN, S.C. – The USCA softball team opened the season with a split against region foe Anderson. The Trojans won the first game 3-1 before USCA notched an 8-4 win in the nightcap.
The Pacers are now 1-1 on the season.
In game one, head coach
Jaclin Poole's team jumped on the board in the third inning.
Peri Rouillard singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from
Lydia Johnson. Moments later,
Autumn Fisher roped a triple to the gap in right center field, plating Rouillard.
The Trojans knotted the game in the fifth and took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the sixth.
For the game, Rouillard had two hits and scored a run. Fisher tallied a triple and one RBI.
Madilyn Rouse and
Mollie Rollings each had hits.
In the circle,
Abbie Kegley went the distance. She had three strikeouts in the loss.
Game two saw Poole's team take an early lead. Rouillard singled up the middle and hustled to second on
Lydia Johnson's bunt single. After each stole a base,
Autumn Fisher blasted a three-run shot high over the left field fence. With
Kate Newberry on first,
Madilyn Rouse doubled her to third.
Leading 3-1 in the fourth,
Kate Newberry doubled and took third on
Kaylee Bolding's base knock.
Cassidy Neves entered as a pinch runner for Newberry. Bolding swiped second and Neves scored on a groundout by
Mollie Rollings.
Anna Turner promptly roped a double down the left field line, plating Bolding for a 5-1 margin.
USCA added to the lead in the fifth.
Madilyn Rouse ripped a double to center field and went to third on a fly ball from Bolding. With runners on second and third, Turner laid down a squeeze bunt, plating Rouse for a 6-1 advantage.
Up 6-2 in the sixth,
Lydia Johnson posted a lead-off single. Moments later, Fisher smacked her second triple of the day – this time to the right field corner. Her hit allowed Johnson to trot home for a 7-2 score. Newberry ripped a base knock up the middle, plating Fisher.
For the game, Johnson led the way with three hits and two runs. Rouillard tallied two hits and scored a run. Fisher posted two hits, including a triple. She drove in four and scored twice. Newberry and Rouse also had two hits apiece. Rouse tallied two doubles while Newberry had two and one RBI. Turner posted a double and drove in two. Bolding had a hit while Rollings scored a run.
In the circle,
Claire Radford tossed 6.1 innings and had seven strikeouts.
Ally Fleming recorded two outs for the save.
The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they travel to UNC Pembroke for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
