Owens Named Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week

AUGUSTA, Ga. – USC Aiken starting pitcher Steven Owens was selected as the Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week by the league office on Tuesday, March 16.

In USC Aiken’s game one victory over Lander on Saturday, March 13, Owens was dominant on the mound in a Pacer victory.

Owens dealt the first seven innings of USC Aiken’s 12-8 victory over the Bearcats, striking out 13. The 13 strikeouts were three shy of USC Aiken’s school record of 16 set by Bryan Ward in 1993 against Augusta State and then again by Pete Pignatiello in 2006 against Anderson.

Owens, who left the Pacer victory with a 12-1 lead, scattered four hits and allowed just one earned run. He retired the first 11 Bearcats that he faced in the contest and retired the side in order four times.

The 6-foot-8 senior right-handed pitcher from Sykesville, Md. is now 5-1 on the 2010 season. He is one of only five Peach Belt Conference pitchers with five wins on the year. The Richmond transfer is fourth in the league currently in opponent’s batting average (.195), 10^th in ERA (3.06) and 12^th in punchouts (32).

Owens and the 10^th-ranked Pacers continue a 10-game home stint this week with five more games inside the friendly confines of Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The Pacers will first play single 6 p.m. games with Chowan on Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17.

USC Aiken’s week will end with a top 25 showdown at the ‘Bert featuring the 10th-ranked Pacers and the 19th-ranked Braves of UNC Pembroke.

The series is set to begin with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, March 20. The three-game series will conclude with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday, March 21.