AIKEN, S.C. – The USCA softball team split a doubleheader at Anderson on Wednesday, winning 6-2 in the opener before dropping a 14-8 contest in the nightcap.
The Pacers are now 20-15 on the season.
Head coach
Jaclin Poole's team trailed 1-0 entering the third stanza.
Peri Rouillard drew a lead-off walk. Two batters later,
Kate Newberry crushed the ninth pitch of the at bat over the left center field wall for a 2-1 advantage.
An inning later,
Lydia Johnson smacked the first pitch she saw into right field. After
Mollie Rollings singled, each runner moved up a bag on a groundout. Rouillard singled, allowing Johnson to cross home. An error on the play allowed Rollings to score for a 4-1 edge. After. a pitching change, Fisher tripled home Rouillard.
Leading 5-2 in the seventh, Newberry posted a base hit through the left side of the infield and Talor Erb entered as a pinch runner. With Erb on second,
Madilyn Rouse crushed a pitch to left center field, allowing Erb to score for a 6-2 lead.
For the game, Newberry had three hits, including a two-run home run. Rouse posted two hits, including a double. Fisher tripled while
Kaylee Bolding and
Chloe Webb each doubled. Rouillard crossed home twice.
In the circle,
Abbie Kegley went the distance to get the victory. She had five strikeouts and allowed just four hits.
USCA recorded 11 hits in the game, including one home run, a triple and three doubles.
Game two saw Poole's squad take an early 2-0 lead. After Fisher drew a walk, Newberry launched her second home run of the day – this time over the left center field wall.
The Trojans plated six runs in the bottom of the first, but USCA pushed across a run in the second and third, slicing the deficit to just two, 6-4. Bolding doubled to lead off the second and scored on a groundout by Rollings two batters later. Fisher crushed a lead-off homer in the third, making it 6-4.
AU made it 10-4 with a four-run third. The Pacers plated three runs in the fifth.
Anna Turner singled and moved to second on Rouillard's bunt hit. Two batters later, Newberry singled home Turner. With two down, Webb ripped a double to left center, knocking in Rouillard and Newberry.
The home team scored four runs in the fifth and Fisher's solo blast, her second of the game, in the seventh completed the scoring.
For the game, Turner led the team with three hits. Fisher and Newberry had two hits apiece. Newberry drove in three and scored twice while Fisher had two home runs and scored three times. Webb drove in three runs.
In the circle,
Claire Radford took the loss. Kegley tossed an inning of relief.
Ally Fleming worked five frames and notched three strikeouts.
The Pacers return to action Friday when they host Georgia College at 6 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
