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September 14, 2009

Snyder Announces 2010 USC Aiken Softball Schedule

AIKEN, S.C. - University of South Carolina Aiken head softball coach Jerry Snyder announced USC Aiken's 2010 schedule on Monday, Sept. 14.

The 2010 USC Aiken softball schedule features a full Peach Belt Conference slate in addition to a very strong non-conference schedule.

"We will play a very strong schedule for the 2010 season," noted Snyder. "In addition to playing everyone in the very competitive Peach Belt Conference, we are also squaring off against 2009 region qualifiers Queens, Wingate and Lenoir Rhyne in the upcoming season.

USC Aiken opens its 2010 campaign by playing host to the 2010 Pacer Invitational, which will feature West Virginia Wesleyan, Alderson-Broaddus and Augusta State in addition to the Pacers. The two-day tournament on Saturday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb. 7 will feature the Pacers playing a doubleheader each day. On Saturday, Feb. 6, USC Aiken will take on West Virginia Wesleyan at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. before Augusta State and Alderson-Broaddus play a twinbill directly after, beginning at 2 p.m.

The final day of the Pacer Invitational will begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday with the Pacers hosting a doubleheader with Alderson-Broaddus. Augusta State will play a doubleheader with West Virginia Wesleyan following USC Aiken's twinbill with Alderson-Broaddus.

The Pacers will hit the road for the first time shortly thereafter to take on rival Augusta State in Augusta, Ga. on Feb. 12. The annual early season twinbill that day between the Pacers and Jaguars will be a non-conference affair and will not count towards Peach Belt Conference standings.

USC Aiken will take part in four more non-conference doubleheaders, including the doubleheader with Queens (Feb. 14 - 2 p.m.) before beginning its Peach Belt Conference season on the road against proximity rival Lander in Greenwood, S.C. on Feb. 25. The next day, USC Aiken will play host to its first home PBC doubleheader of the year against UNC Pembroke on Feb. 26. Action gets underway at 12 p.m.

One of USC Aiken's toughest stretches comes shortly thereafter when the Pacers play NCAA Division II Southeast Regional host Lenoir-Rhyne and NCAA Division II Softball Championship semifinalist North Georgia during a three-day stretch.

USC Aiken will first host the Bears for a twinbill at JH Satcher Field, beginning at 3 p.m. on Mar. 13. USC Aiken will then travel to Dahlonega, Ga. two days later to tangle with the PBC and regional champion Saints for a doubleheader on Mar. 18. The first pitch from the circle is scheduled for 4 p.m.

After L-R, USC Aiken only plays one more non-conference doubleheader (Chowan - Apr. 3) before closing the season by hosting rival Augusta State for a PBC doubleheader at J.H. Satcher Field.

The doubleheader with the Jaguars will serve as USC Aiken's senior day. 

The 2010 season comes on the heels of one of the best seasons in program history.

USC Aiken's softball team concluded the 2009 campaign ranked a program-best 12th in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll.

The first Pacer squad to participate in the NCAA Division II Tournament, USC Aiken ended the 2009 campaign with a 34-16 record. The Pacers' 2009 mark garnered the 2009 USC Aiken softball team the best winning percentage (.680) in program history.

USC Aiken's 34 victories in 2009 tied them for second in program history for the most wins in a single season.

The 2009 campaign was an incredibly special year for the Pacers with Snyder, who now has a record of 529-528 in his 22 years at the helm, earning his 500th career win earlier in the year.

The win was just a sign of things to come for the Pacers as they continued to embark on one of the greatest seasons in school history. After splitting with UNC Pembroke on Feb. 15 to claim that special 500th victory, USC Aiken went on to earn its first ever national ranking en route to its first ever NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.

The second game win over UNCP led to a season-high eight-game winning streak and the stretch helped USC Aiken to claim a victory in 12 of its next 13 games to stand at 18-7 after a 4-0 win over Tusculum on March 8.

The Pacers would go 13-5 the rest of the regular season to earn the second spot in the Southeast region by the start of the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Tournament in Florence, S.C.

The Pacers ended the year ranked in the final five NFCA polls, entering the poll for the first time in school history at No. 24 on April 8. The sixth Snyder team to claim 30 or more victories in a single season, the 2009 Pacers advanced to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship Game before falling to NCAA Division II softball championship semifinalist and third-ranked North Georgia.

USC Aiken's strong 2009 campaign means that they are now thought of a little different. A fact in which Snyder is keenly aware.

"After finishing 12th in the country we will have everyone gunning for us, but we are ready to accept that challenge in the coming year," said Snyder.