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September 15, 2009

Thomas Releases Tough 2010 Pacer Baseball Schedule

AIKEN, S.C. - Reigning Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year Kenny Thomas announced the 2010 USC Aiken baseball schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009.
 
The 2010 USC Aiken baseball schedule features one of the strongest non-conference schedules in school history coupled with a full Peach Belt Conference slate.
 
The Peach Belt Conference schedule will be a little different from the past though with baseball moving to divisions. USC Aiken will be joined in the East division of the PBC by UNC Pembroke, Armstrong Atlantic State, Lander, Francis Marion and Flagler.
 
The West portion of the PBC for baseball will feature Montevallo, Georgia Southwestern, Columbus State, North Georgia, Georgia College & State and Augusta State.
 
"It doesn't take much to see that this is the toughest schedule we've ever had," noted Thomas. "If we're going to compete for the national championship, we need to play a tough schedule like this. We'll see how smart I am (for making this schedule) next May."
 
Thomas' assertions do not come without merit.
 
USC Aiken is playing six teams in 2010 that concluded the 2009 campaign in the final NCAA Division II Collegiate Baseball Top 30 poll. In total, the Pacers are squaring off against 10 programs that were ranked in the top 30 at one point last year.
 
USC Aiken opens the year by playing host to Lincoln Memorial for a three-game set for the third consecutive season. The Railsplitters and Pacers are slated to begin their three-game series at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5.
 
The next week, USC Aiken will head to the Sunshine State for a monstrous road trip against two of the best programs in all of college baseball.
 
USC Aiken will first tangle with Barry, who ended the 2009  season ranked 15th, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. USC Aiken will then play a three-game series with 2009 NCAA Division II national champion Lynn (Feb. 12-Feb. 14). The Pacers and Fighting Knights played three games last year at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
 
After a non-conference outing against Anderson at the ‘Bert on Wednesday, Feb. 17, USC Aiken will host a three-game set with Georgia Southwestern (Feb. 19-Feb. 21). The Hurricanes are in the PBC, but due to the new division format the series is not a conference series.
 
The Pacers will participate in their first PBC series of the year next by traveling to Montevallo, Ala. for their first ever three-game PBC series with league newcomer Montevallo on Saturday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, Feb. 28.
 
Barry joins the Pacers at Roberto Hernandez Stadium for a two-game midweek set (Mar. 2 and Mar. 4) next before the Pacers end the week by traveling to Florence, S.C. to take on in-state and PBC foe Francis Marion for a three-game league series on Mar. 6 and Mar. 7.
 
Urbana (Mar. 9) and Pfeiffer (Mar 10) visit the ‘Bert during the next week.

Last year, USC Aiken tied an NCAA Division II record, broke numerous school records and obtained two Peach Belt Conference records in a 28-10 victory over Pfeiffer.

The Pacers picked up most of their runs in the game in the bottom of the third inning, posting 15 runs on 15 hits. The 15 hits acquired by the Pacers in the frame tied an NCAA Division II record for most hits in a single inning. The 15 hit-inning tied them with Northern Colorado (2003), North Alabama (1997), South Dakota (1996), St. Francis (1996) and Metro State (1999) for most hits in a single inning.

The 15-hit output in the bottom of the third frame also set the Peach Belt Conference record for most hits in a single inning. It was one of two PBC marks set by the Pacers that evening. The Pacers also set the conference record for most hits in a single game at 32.

The 32 hits secured by the Pacers was also a school record and it was one of four school team records broken in the game. USC Aiken also set the new school mark for runs in a single inning (15) to go along with the most hits in the third frame.

The 28 runs obtained by the Pacers in the contest set a new program standard in addition to the 32 hits in the contest.
 
The Pacers end the week by taking on a Lander program that has changed dramatically during the offseason. The Pacers took all three from the Bearcats last season, but the program is now under the direction of Kermit Smith, who led the Belmont Abbey Crusaders past USC Aiken in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional championship round in 2009. Smith and the Bearcats square off against the Pacers at the ‘Bert for a three-game set on Mar. 12 and Mar. 13.
 
USC Aiken will host Chowan for a two-game set (Mar. 16 and Mar. 17) before ending the week by taking on UNC Pembroke at the ‘Bert to finish the week. The three-game set with UNCP (Mar. 20 and Mar. 21) will mark the first time that the two programs have met since USC Aiken acquired the PBC regular season championship by taking two of three from the Braves in Pembroke, N.C. in 2009.
 
The second annual Outback Cup is next for the Pacers. USC Aiken acquired the inaugural Outback Cup with two wins over rival Augusta State in 2009. The annual non-conference meeting between the two rivals starts in Augusta at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 23 and ends the next day with a 6:30 p.m. game between the two at the ‘Bert.
 
The Pacers finish the week by welcoming Georgia College & State to Roberto Hernandez Stadium for a three-game series on Saturday, Mar. 27 and Sunday, Mar. 28.
 
After a non-conference midweek game against the Crusaders of North Greenville (Mar. 30), USC Aiken travels to St. Augustine, Fla. to take on Flagler for a three-game PBC series (Apr. 2 and Apr. 3). The series will be the first ever between the two as league rivals.
 
A tilt with St. Andrews Presbyterian (Apr. 7) gives way to two crucial PBC series, beginning with USC Aiken's PBC series with Augusta State on Saturday, Apr. 10 and Sunday, Apr. 11. The next weekend, USC Aiken closes out its PBC campaign by traveling to Savannah, Ga. to square off with Armstrong Atlantic State on Friday, Apr. 16 and Saturday, Apr. 17.
 
USC Aiken concludes its 2010 regular season with three games against Catawba, a two-game set with Erskine and one game against 2009 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship semifinalist Belmont Abbey.
 
USC Aiken travels to Salisbury, N.C. to take on Catawba at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 20 before ending its season by taking on the Indians at the ‘Bert at 7 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 30 and at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 1. Sandwiched between the games with Catawba are the games with Conference Carolinas powers Erskine and Belmont Abbey.
 
The Pacers and Flying Fleet of Erskine will play a home and home with the Fleet first zooming in to the ‘Bert for a 7 p.m. game on Friday, Apr. 23. The Pacers will then depart for their final regular season away game the next day at 2 p.m. in Due West, S.C. against the Fleet.
 
The Pacers and the Belmont Abbey Crusaders will meet at Roberto Hernandez Stadium at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 25.
 
The final game of the year on Saturday, May 1 against Catawba will serve as senior day for the Pacer baseball team.
 
Last season, USC Aiken experienced one of the greatest seasons in school history.

USC Aiken's 2009 baseball team ended the 2009 season tied with Central Missouri for 10th in the final Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division II Top 30 poll.

The final ranking of 10th was the highest for the 2009 Peach Belt Conference regular season champion under Thomas. USC Aiken ended the 2008 season ranked 11th, while they concluded the 2005 season 12th.

The Pacers reached as high as No. 2 nationally in 2009 en route to their second ever Peach Belt Conference regular season championship.

The regular season title was the first for the Pacers since 1994. The Pacers also have two PBC Tournament crowns, having won the league tournament in 1992 and 1993.

The Pacers' prowess during the regular season helped USC Aiken to top honors in the Southeast Region, enabling the program to host its second ever NCAA Division II Tournament regional.

The Pacers advanced to the regional final for the second consecutive season before bowing out to NCAA Division II Baseball Championship semifinalist and Conference Carolinas Tournament champion Belmont Abbey in the first game of the championship round.

USC Aiken (42-19) concluded its season having been a part of its fifth consecutive NCAA Division II Baseball regional. The Pacers' 42 wins in 2009 leave the program entering the 2010 campaign with five consecutive 40-win seasons.

USC Aiken has been a participant in the NCAA Division II Tournament seven times (1992, 1993, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009).