Pacers Split Conference Doubleheader with Visiting Pirates
AIKEN, S.C. – The USC Aiken softball saw their three-game
winning streak come to an end Wednesday afternoon at J.H. Satcher
Field, but were able to earn the split in their conference
doubleheader with league foe Armstrong Atlantic State. The Pirates
squeezed past the Pacers in the first game 5-4 while the Pacers
took an early lead and held on to win the second game 3-1.
Armstrong Atlantic is now 25-12 overall and move to 4-6 in
conference play.
USC Aiken is now 17-18 overall on the 2010 campaign and remains at
.500 in the extremely competitive PBC, moving to 9-9.
Down 1-0 going into the bottom of the first inning of game one,
junior transfer Blair Warren (Darlington, S.C./Florence-Darlington
Tech) put the Pacers up 3-1 when she ripped her second home run of
season over the left-center field fence. Lauren Locklear
(Charleston, S.C./Wando) and Kelley King (Chesterfield,
S.C./Chesterfield) both crossed the plate off Warren’s
bat.
The Pirates pulled back within one in the top of the second inning
and were able to overtake the Pacers in the fourth and fifth
innings putting the score to 5-3.
Warren recorded her second RBI of the game trying to help the
Pacers regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when she
sent a ball to centerfield for a double to drive Locklear home,
bringing the Pacers within one.
The Pacers brought in three fresh batters in the bottom of the
seventh inning but were unable to find the equalizing run late in
the game.
Megan Barnwell earned the win in the circle for Armstrong Atlantic
in game one. She improves to 11-4 for the season.
Senior right-handed hurler Kathleen Nichols took the loss for the
Pacers falling to 2-8 on the 2010 season.
The Pacers were able to set a steady pace in the second game,
pulling ahead of the Pirates 2-0 in the first and third innings.
Locklear crossed the plate in the first inning while freshman
leadoff batter Brandy Bossle (North East, Md/Rising Sun) scored for
USC Aiken in the bottom of the third inning.
USC Aiken extended their lead to three in the bottom of the fourth
inning when Whitney Clary (Newberry, S.C./Newberry HS) drove Lydia
Miles (Ridgeland, S.C./Thomas Heyward Academy) home to put the
score at 3-0.
The Pirates tried to battle back late in the game, scoring one run
in the top of the fifth inning to avoid the shutout. However, the
Pacers were able to rally behind strong pitching and fielding to
hold on for the win.
King led the Pacers at the plate as the designated player going
4-for-6 between the two games with two runs scored. Locklear was
3-for-6 on the day with three runs scored.
Shelby Duff started in the circle for the Pirates and suffered the
loss. She falls to 7-4 on the season.
Senior dual-threat Toni Flessate (Goose Creek, S.C./Stratford)
recorded the win in the circle for the Pacers in game two, fanning
six batters. She improves to 9-7 for the 2010 campaign.
USC Aiken will next hit the road for the last time in the regular
season as they travel to Murfreesboro, N.C. for a non-conference
doubleheader against the Hawks of Chowan on Saturday, Apr. 3. The
first game will commence at 1 p.m. with the second game slated to
follow immediately after at around 3 p.m.
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