Pacers Claim Seventh Straight in 6-2 Victory Over Chowan
AIKEN, S.C. – The 10th-ranked USC Aiken baseball team
claimed its seventh win in a row with a 6-2 non-conference mid-week
victory over Chowan on Tuesday evening at Roberto Hernandez
Stadium.
The Pacers, who have now won 14 of their last 15 outings, improve
to 17-7 on the 2010 season with the victory. Chowan drops to 7-12-1
on the year with the loss to the Pacers.
The two will renew acquaintances again at 6 p.m. tomorrow
(Wednesday) at the ‘Bert.
The Hawks held a one-run lead twice in the opening three stanzas,
but USC Aiken would score five unanswered to acquire the
victory.
Chowan took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first that was
eradicated in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice bunt
RBI by Matt Key (New Ellenton, S.C./Silver Bluff) that scored Nick
Aranas (Lexington, S.C./Lexington).
The Hawks would notch another run in the top of the third, but once
again USC Aiken would net a single run an inning later to square
the game at 1-1. This time, Key scored the run.
One inning later, USC Aiken took control with a three-run bottom
portion of the fifth inning. Travis Howard (Bonneau, S.C./USC
Salkehatchie) secured two of the three runs in the inning on a
two-run blast to left field. The home run was Howard’s fifth
of the year.
In the bottom of the seventh, USC Aiken would add its final run of
the contest in its 6-2 victory on another Key RBI that scored
Aranas.
Freshman Gavin Scott (Vienna, Va./Bridgton Academy) picked up his
first win of his college career by dealing 2.2 innings in relief of
Pacer starting pitcher Ryan Milewski (West Boylston, Ma./West
Boylston HS). Scott fanned five Hawk batters in his time on the
mound.
Chowan reliever Spencer Fagan suffered the loss in relief of
starter Robert Weaver. Fagan came into the contest in the bottom of
the fifth inning with the score tied at 2-2, but he gave up three
earned runs in the frame to fall to 1-1 on the season. Fagan and
Weaver were a part of six Hawks’ pitchers used in the
four-run loss to the Pacers.
The Pacers had three players finish with multiple hits in the
victory over Chowan. Aranas was 2-for-3 with three runs scored,
while Bill Rice (Sewell, N.J. /Gloucester County College) and Gary
Asbill (Batesburg, S.C./Batesburg-Leesville) were both 2-for-4.
Rice scored a run.
Key did not net multiple hits, but he was a major factor as
aforementioned. He was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Nate Mitchell was the only Chowan player to record multiple hits as
he went 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. He had a solo
home run in the top of the third inning.
The Pacers finished with four more hits than the Hawks in total at
11-7.
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