No. 24 USC Aiken Splits With Pfeiffer

AIKEN, S.C. - The No. 24 USC Aiken softball team split their non-conference doubleheader with region foe Pfeiffer University. The Pacers grounded the Falcons in the first game in a 14-1, five-inning rout before dropping the second game 2-1.

The split during Military Appreciation Day moves the Pacers to 12-6 on the regular season while the Pfeiffer moves to 9-9 on the year.

The Pacers were outstanding from the plate in the first game recording 14 runs on 13 hits and three errors by the Pfeiffer defense. Three Pacers led the charge for USC Aiken with perfect records at the plate in the first game.

Freshman slugger Lindsey Jones (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta) continued her stellar first campaign with the Pacers along with fellow freshman Nicole Borden (Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles School), who were 3-for-3 with three runs each while sophomore Whitney Clary (Newberry, S.C./Newberry HS) was 2-for-2 with two runs of her own. Jones and Clary added three RBIs a piece while Borden chipped in two of her own.

Six Pacers crossed the dish for the Pacers starting with two runs in the first and gaining momentum from there.

Jones and Clary began the scoring drive in the bottom of the first inning to put the Pacers up 2-0.

The Falcons' lone hit and run for the game came in the top of the second inning when Heather Nobles sent a ball over the left-center fence for a home run.

USC Aiken never let up from there scoring at least three runs in their last three innings of play. Borden, Jones, and Clary all scored in the bottom of the second inning to put the Pacers in command of the game at 5-1. 

The Pacers continued their onslaught in the bottom of the third inning. Senior Niki Sidaway (Wiley Ford, W.Va./Potomac State), junior Blair Warren (Darlington, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech), Borden, freshman Brandy Bossle (North East, Md./Rising Sun) and Jones all scored to put the game away for USC Aiken at 10-1.

The bottom of the fourth inning saw much of the same as the Pacers garnered four more runs. Sidaway, Borden, Warren and Bossle all crossed the plate to give USC Aiken their final score of 14-1.

Allison Braswell suffered the loss for Pfeiffer in the first game. She drops to 1-3 on the season.

Senior hurler Toni Flessate (Goose Creek, S.C./Stratford) secured the win in the circle for the Pacers in just five innings of work by fanning four batters. She improves to 6-1 on the 2010 campaign for USC Aiken.

Clary led the Pacers in the second game at the plate going a perfect 1-for-1 with one RBI. Jones secured the lone run for USC Aiken in the bottom of the first inning.

Amber Johnson captured the game-winning run for the Falcons in the top of the sixth inning off a wild pitch. 

Shelby Brown garnered the win in the circle for Pfeiffer. She improves to an even 3-3 on the season.

Sophomore Lauren Rickabaugh (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta) took the loss for USC Aiken in six innings of work. She fanned eight batters in the contest and falls to 6-2 on the season.

The Pacers will continue their home stint by hosting league newcomer Flagler College (11-11) for a conference double header at J.H. Satcher Field on Sunday, Mar. 7. The first pitch of the first game is scheduled to leave the circle at 1 p.m. with the second game to follow at around 3 p.m.