AIKEN, S.C. – The USCA baseball team secured the series victory by taking the nightcap 6-5 over Lynn Saturday evening.
The Pacers dropped the first game 4-3 before bouncing back to snag the one-run victory in the final game of the series.
USCA is now 8-2 on the season.
In game one, head coach
Keith Gorman's team trailed 1-0 in the second stanza but quickly plated two runs.
Blake Martin singled and took second on a walk to
Salvatore Laimo. Two batters later, the two moved up 90 feet apiece on a failed pick-off attempt.
Ryan Becker's single allowed two runs to score for a one-run edge.
The score remained the same until the fourth. Martin got things going with a base hit to left. Two batters later,
Maverick Grigsby's base knock put runners on the corners. A double steal allowed Martin to score for a two-run margin.
The Knights scored two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh for a 4-3 edge.
Gorman's team tried to knot the contest in the ninth. Grigsby reached on an error and took third on
Donovan Glisson's double down the left field line. After
Cameron Austin Jr., was intentionally walked to load the bases, USCA had back-to-back pop-ups in the infield. A fly ball to right center field was caught for the final out, ending the threat.
For the game, Becker and Martin had two hits apiece. Becker drove in two while Martin scored twice.
On the mound,
Nick Napolitano went 4.2 innings and had three strikeouts.
Kerry Herndon-Brown tossed 2.1 innings while
Brady Dunlop threw the final two frames. Dunlop had a pair of strikeouts.
Game two saw USCA take a quick 3-0 lead in the first. Harding started the bottom of the frame off with a base hit to right field. He moved up a pair of bases after
Chancellor Jennings and
Yariel Diaz were each hit by pitches. Martin lifted a sacrifice fly to center field for a one-run lead. Glisson ripped a double to left center field, pushing across Jennings and Diaz.
USCA made it 4-0 when Jennings doubled in
Osmin Melendez, who had walked, in the second.
Lynn posted a run in the fourth, sixth, seventh and two in the eighth for a 5-4 advantage.
With one out in the ninth, Jennings rocketed the first pitch he saw high over the left field wall, knotting the score at 5-5. Two batters later, Martin walked and hustled to third on Glisson's single through the right side of the infield. Laimo was hit to load the bases for Grigsby. After a pitching change, Martin took home on a wild pitch, securing the 6-5 win.
For the game, Jennings wrapped out four hits, including a home run and double. He drove in two and scored twice. Glisson, Laimo and Martin had two hits each. Glisson knocked in two while Jennings scored twice.
On the mound,
Ben Shepherd worked four innings and had five strikeouts.
Myles Chabi tossed 3.2 innings and had six strikeouts.
Dylan Dickert picked up the win. He threw 1.1 innings and had a strikeout.
The Pacers return to action Wednesday when they host Coker at 3 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
