USCA softball picks up sweep over Lander
Apr. 17—The USC Aiken softball team picked up a sweep over Lander on Friday on Senior Day.
The Pacers are now 5-11 overall and 5-9 in league play while the Bearcats fall to 13-13 on the year and 0-8 in PBC play.
USC Aiken won by scores of 9-7 and 6-4. It marked the first sweep of Lander by USC Aiken since the 2015 season.
In game one, USC Aiken found itself trailing 4-0 in the third inning. With one down, Jessica Stanley singled and swiped second base. Faith Cooke doubled home Stanley with two away. Emily Ayers followed it up with a double, plating Cooke. Two batters later, Katelyn Powell ripped a double to right field, scoring Ayers and Brooke Moore, who had reached on a walk, tying the game at 4-4.
Down 7-4 in the fifth, head coach Jaclin Poole's team started stringing hits together. Brianna Dow singled to left and trotted home when Cooke belted a two-run homer. Ayers followed it up with a double, forcing a pitching change. Moore welcomed the hurler by hitting a single. Moore and Morley, who came in as a pinch runner, each swiped a base. A fielding error allowed Morley to score.
Powell walked and swiped second. With one down, Katie Painter laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Moore. With nobody covering second base, Painter raced to second base. A wild pitch plated Powell for a 9-7 lead.
For the game, Ayers went three-for-four while Cooke had a pair of hits and drove in three. She and Moore each scored twice. Powell drove in two in the win.
Caroline Cockrell went the distance, striking out four batters. She tossed 157 pitches in the victory.
USC Aiken took a 2-0 lead after the first inning of game two. Stanley led off the game with a single and moved to second on Brianna Dow's bunt single. Cooke reached on a fielder's choice that erased Stanley. With two down, Moore singled to left, plating Dow. Powell followed it up with an infield single that scored Cooke.
The Pacers pushed the margin to 3-0 in the third when Cooke roped a pitch down the left field line. It hit the foul pole for the solo homer.
Leading 3-1 in the fifth, Dow beat out an infield single and hustled to second on a Cooke base knock. With two down, Moore crushed a 1-1 pitch down the left field line and over the fence for a 6-1 score.
The visitors pulled within six four, but multiple outstanding defensive plays by the home squad ended the Bearcats' hope for a win.
For the game, Powell led the way with three hits. Cooke, Dow and Moore had two hits apiece. Moore drove in three runs while Cooke scored three times. Dow crossed home twice.
In the circle, Rebekah Cook went the distance for the win.
The Pacers return to action on Friday, Apr. 23 for a doubleheader against Columbus State. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
