AIKEN, S.C. — Georgia Southwestern mounted a late rally Sunday afternoon, but host University of South Carolina Aiken held on for a 9-5 victory to claim the rubber game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
The Hurricanes dropped to 15-11 overall and 8-4 in conference play, while USC Aiken improved to 18-8 and also moved to 8-4 in the PBC standings.
Pacers Build Early Lead
USC Aiken broke through in the second inning when Evan Harding launched a three-run home run to left field as part of a four-run frame.
The Pacers added another run in the third after Salvatore Laimo stole third and scored on a throwing error before extending the lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning on an RBI triple from Chancellor Jennings and an RBI single by Yariel Diaz.
Hurricanes Begin to Chip Away
GSW got on the board in the fifth inning.
Drew Reaves led off with a single before
Drake Harman lined an RBI double down the left-field line to score the Hurricanes' first run.
Josh McDonald followed with a solo home run in the sixth inning — his fourth of the season — tying him for the team lead and cutting the deficit to 7-2. Reliever
Wade Johnson threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings to give the GSW offense a chance to close the gap.
Seventh-Inning Rally
The Hurricanes made things interesting in the seventh.
Jacob Reeves reached on a walk before Harman delivered an RBI single to right field.
Kelsen Johnson followed with a base hit, setting the stage for
Evan Wainman, who drove a two-run double to right-center field to bring GSW within 7-5.
Pacers Answer Late
USC Aiken responded in the eighth inning when Diaz launched a two-run home run to left-center field to extend the Pacers' lead to 9-5.
Harman opened the ninth inning with a single for his fourth hit of the afternoon, but the Pacers retired the next three batters to secure the series victory.
Harman Leads Hurricanes at the Plate
Harman paced the Hurricanes offensively with a 4-for-5 performance, marking his first four-hit game of the season. The outfielder also extended his on-base streak to 17 consecutive games.
Johnson continued his own consistent stretch, reaching base safely for the 21st straight contest.
Next Up
GSW will face its third nationally-ranked opponent of the season with a trip to No. 11 West Florida for a two-game midweek series starting Tuesday at 7 p.m. EDT.
