Pacers Fly Past Hawks to Earn Sweep
MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The USC Aiken softball team moved to one game above .500 on the 2010 campaign on Saturday afternoon by sweeping a pair of games over the Hawks of Chowan at the Chowan Softball Complex. USC Aiken was able to squeak out the win in the first game 4-3 in 10 innings and then extended their current winning streak to three games with a 5-2 win in the second game to earn the sweep.
USC Aiken is now 19-18 overall on the 2010 campaign overall with the pair of wins while Chowan falls to 20-19 overall.
The Pacers were able to claim the first game over he Hawks in 10 innings behind six hits. Juniors Lauren Locklear (Charleston, S.C./Wando) and Bair Warren (Darlington, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) both recorded two hits on the day with Locklear garnering one run.
Down 2-0 going into the fifth inning, right fielder Nikki Sidaway (Wiley Ford, W.Va./Potomac State) reached base safely on a fielder’s choice followed by Whitney Clary (Newberry, S.C./Newberry HS) who moved Sidaway over to third when she laid down a bunt. Clary stole second a few moments later to give USC Aiken two runners in scoring position as senior Kellie Hair stepped to the plate. Hair (Aiken, S.C.) grounded out to the third baseman, but both Sidaway and Clary were able to push across the plate to even the score at 2-2.
The game continued into extra innings as neither team was able to find a go-ahead run in regulation.
Due to an extra innings rule in softball, USC Aiken was able to capitalize on Locklear being placed on second base entering the ninth inning. After freshman Lindsey Jones (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta) moved Locklear over to third with a sacrifice bunt, Kelley King (Chesterfield, S.C./Chesterfield) put a ball in play to move Locklear across the dish putting the Pacers up 3-2.
Chowan found an equalizing run in the bottom of the inning to continue the game into the 10th frame.
The Pacers put the game away in the 10th inning when Nicole Borden (Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles School) was placed on second base this time around for the Pacers and quickly moved to third when Sidaway laid down a sacrifice bunt. Borden gave USC Aiken the go-ahead run just moments later as Clary sent a sacrifice fly out to centerfield.
Allie Kolezynski suffered the loss for Chowan in five innings of work. She falls to 4-7 on the 2010 season.
Senior right-handed hurler Toni Flessate recorded the win for the Pacers in the circle having pitched two innings after Kathleen Nichols went eight innings striking out six batters. Flessate moves to 10-6 entering the second game.
The Pacers were able to score first and often in the second game as the designated player King went 3-for-4 from the plate with one RBI and one run scored in the second game. Locklear extended her current hitting streak to eight games with at least one hit as she went 2-for-3 with one run scored.
With the game tied at one-a-piece going into the second inning, Flessate crossed the dish for the Pacers off the bat of Sidaway who sent a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
King extended the Pacer lead to two as she crossed the plate in the top of the third inning to put USC Aiken up 3-1.
After ripping a triple to right-centerfield, Locklear cruised home as King batted her in with a shot up the middle to put the Pacers up 4-1.
After the Hawks posted another run in the sixth inning, the Pacers put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning as freshman leadoff batter Brandy Bossle (North East, Md./Rising Sun) crossed the plate for the second time in the game off a wild pitch by the Chowan hurler.
Jessica Farmer took the loss for Chowan in just two innings of work as three pitchers shared the load for Chowan in the game. She falls to 7-6 on the year.
Flessate recorded her second win on the day as she fanned five batters in seven innings inside the circle for USC Aiken. She improves to 11-6 for the 2010 campaign.
USC Aiken will return home to the friendly confines of J.H. Satcher Field for a non-conference doubleheader against nationally-ranked Wingate on Tuesday, Apr. 6. The first game is slated to begin at 2 p.m. with the second game to follow immediately after at around 4 p.m.
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