Pacers Fall to Armstrong Atlantic State
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The 16th-ranked USC Aiken baseball team fell 4-0 to Peach Belt Conference East division rival Armstrong Atlantic State on Friday afternoon at Pirate Field.
The loss dropped the Pacers to 27-14 on the 2010 season. The Pacers are now 14-8 in Peach Belt Conference action.
Armstrong Atlantic State’s victory improved them to 23-17 on the year. The Pirates are now 5-11 in the PBC.
The Pirates were able to acquire an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. John Roberts collected the first run of the contest for Armstrong Atlantic State by singling through the right side to score Alex Wyche, who had opened the game by singling through the right side. The score was 2-0 the very next batter as Cameron Scott singled to centerfield to plate Auston Thomas.
Michael Price obtained the final two runs of the frame for Armstrong Atlantic when he hit a two RBI single to right centerfield.
Neither team would be able to produce much over the course of the next five innings with USC Aiken unable to procure a hit until the top of the seventh inning. The double down the left field line by David Vitko (Columbiana, Ohio/Youngstown State) to start off the top of the seventh inning for the Pacers was the beginning of what eventually led to the Pacers having the bases jammed with one out. The Pacers nevertheless were unable to scratch across a run in the inning to leave the Pirates still clinging to the four-run advantage.
USC Aiken finished the game with just two hits. Armstrong Atlantic State had nine total hits in its win over the Pacers.
Thomas Gray pitched a complete game for the Pirates, scattering the two hits and allowing no runs. He struck out two and only walked two batters in the contest. He improved to 4-2 on the year with the victory.
Steven Owens (Sykesville, Md./Richmond) suffered the loss on the hill for the Pacers. Owens dealt the first 6.1 innings, fanning three. He is now 5-3 on the year.
Matt Key (New Ellenton, S.C./Silver Bluff) collected USC Aiken’s only other hit on the afternoon.
Two players finished with multiple hits for the Pirates with Scott and Carlos Cardza-Oqundo both going 2-for-4. Scott drove in a run.
USC Aiken and Armstrong Atlantic State will end their three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow (Saturday), beginning at 12:30 p.m. The second game will begin immediately following the conclusion of the first game at approximately 3:30 p.m.
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