Seventh-Seeded USC Aiken Continues Winning Ways with Upset Win Over Fourth-Seeded Armstrong Atlantic
FLORENCE, S.C. – The seventh-seeded USC Aiken softball team continued to streak through Saturday’s rounds at the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament by defeating the fourth-seeded Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates at Freedom Florence Recreational Complex Saturday afternoon. The Pacers conquered the Pirates with a 9-1 victory to keep their tournament run alive.
Armstrong Atlantic ends their run through the tournament at 33-18 overall after the loss Saturday afternoon.
USC Aiken moves to 23-22 overall with the win over the Pirates. The Pacers will continue play in the tournament Saturday evening by taking on the tournament host and third-seeded Francis Marion Patriots who lost to top-seeded North Georgia 6-0.
A total of six different Pacers crossed the plate in the game. The first three crossed in the top of the third inning with junior Blair Warren (Darlington, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) leading the Pacer charge when she crossed off the bat of Toni Flessate when she singled to left-center field.
Lindsey Jones (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta) followed momentarily when Whitney Clary (Newberry, S.C./Newberry HS) sent a shot throught the left side. Clary was then driven home by Nikki Sidaway (Wiley Ford, W.Va./Potomac State) who also singled through the left side of the field to put the Pacers up 3-0.
The Pirates got their lone run back in the bottom of the inning, and it would be all Pacers from there on out.
The Pacers scored two runs in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings respectively. Brandy Bossle (North East, Md./Rising Sun) and Kelley King (Chesterfield, S.C./Chesterfield) both scored in the fourth inning. King tripled to drive in Bossle, and then crossed the plate herself a few moments later when Flessate singled.
King scored again in the sixth inning off a double by Jones who scored off a fielder’s choice sent to the shortstop by Clary putting the Pacers up 7-1 heading into the seventh inning.
USC Aiken continued their scoring drive to put a cap on the game, putting it well out of reach of the Pirates. Lauren Locklear (Charleston, S.C./Wando) and King both crossed the plate after being driven home off a single to center field by Warren.
King and Flessate were both perfect at the dish to lead USC Aiken at the plate. King was 3-for-3 with one RBI and three runs while Flessate was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored.
Shleby Duff took the loss for Armstrong. She is now 10-5 for the season.
Flessate (Goose Creek, S.C./Stratford) obtained her second win of the day for the Pacers in the circle striking out another new season-high 11 batters in seven innings of work. She moves to 15-10 in the 2010 campaign.
USC Aiken will next battle the Patriots of host and third-seeded Francis Marion Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. The winner between the Pacers and Patriots will go on to face the North Georgia in the championship game on Sunday, Apr. 18.
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