USCA softball's PBC run ends in semis
Apr. 30—NORTH GEORGIA 10-10, USC AIKEN 2-3
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — After picking up victories over nationally-ranked No. 2 North Georgia and third-seeded Georgia Southwestern to open the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, the USC Aiken softball team lost twice Sunday afternoon to UNG to conclude its run in the postseason.
The Pacers end the season at 20-33.
North Georgia, the bracket host for this half of the tournament, won the games by scores of 10-2 and 10-3.
For the first game, Emily Ayers and Skylar Morley had two hits apiece. Both of Ayers' base knocks went for extra bases. Morley drove in a run. Ella Stone registered a triple and one RBI while Ayers and Taylor Butts each scored a run.
Payton Baker took the loss while tossing four innings. She struck out six. Lakyn Phillips had a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings of relief work.
In game two Ayers pounded out three hits, including two doubles. She drove in two and scored once. Mallory Shaver tallied two hits and one RBI. Holly Daum and Jena Dewalt each had a hit and scored a run. Daum accounted for a double while Lauren Wexler recorded a base hit. In the circle, Baker went the distance.
The two wins in the PBC Tournament marked the second consecutive time the USCA softball program has done so as the No. 7 seed.
USCA baseball wraps up regular season with win over Lander
Justin Byrd's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the USC Aiken baseball team a 4-3 win over Lander in the regular-season finale at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
The Pacers finish the regular season with a record of 30-20 and are the No. 3 team in the Peach Belt Conference at 20-10.
Byrd went 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBI, and he was also the winning pitcher after allowing a run on three hits over the final two innings.
Jackson Hannon and Nick Tripp each had a pair of hits, and Hannon hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 2.
Lander plated a run in the top of the ninth to retake the lead, then retired Kaden Blankenship and David Jacobs to leave the Pacers down to their final out.
Josh Sharp singled up the middle and stole second, and Marcus Mastellone walked. A wild pitch sent Sharp to third and pinch runner Bryce Bulls to second, and Luke Parker drew a walk to load the bases.
Byrd drove a 2-2 pitch up the middle, bringing home Sharp and Bulls to give the Pacers the win.
Up next for USCA is the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, which is scheduled to begin May 5.
