AIKEN, S.C. –USC Aiken's pitching staff once again dominated Railsplitter hitters and catcher Conner Durden turned in a perfect day at the plate as the No. 6-ranked Pacers (2-0) dispatched of Lincoln Memorial (0-2) 8-1 Saturday in the second game of a three-game set at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
Senior pitcher Joseph Benitez, a transfer from Old Dominion, made his first start for USC Aiken. He pitched five innings, allowing just three singles while striking out five in a scoreless effort. Three more pitchers combined to strike out nine total Railsplitters, which ups the team's total to 22 over the first two games.
Durden reached base in all five plate appearances, finishing 4-for-4 with a walk, home run and three RBI. That proved to be more than enough offense for the Pacers.
Senior
Brandon Jean got the start on the mound for Lincoln Memorial. He dealt with multiple base runners in each of the first two innings but escaped unscathed. That changed in the bottom of the third, as the Pacers drew first blood with a Luke Westerberg lead-off double followed by a Mitchell Price triple. Jean got the next two batters to strike out and pop out, but ensuing back-to-back triples gave USC Aiken a three-run cushion. Durden expanded the lead to four with an infield single, his first hit of the day.
Lincoln Memorial threatened in the top half of the fourth and loaded the bases, but two base running miscues thwarted a potential rally.
Logan Augustine (Urbandale, Iowa) and
Russell Clark (Wexford, Pa.) started the inning with singles, but Augustine was thrown out trying to advance. Next,
Eric Kalman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) reached on an error by the third baseman, but Clark was thrown out attempting to advance to third.
Mason Ewers (Kingsport, Tenn.) next reached on an error by the shortstop, and
Timmy Wages (Molin, Ill.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Benitez got
Joe Stucky (Powell, Tenn.) to ground out to end the threat.
The Pacers added to the lead in each of the next three innings. Westerberg led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, while Jose Bonilla drove in Durden with a single in the fifth. Durden added another RBI single in the sixth to expand the Pacer lead to 7-0.
Ewers finally put Lincoln Memorial on the board in the seventh with a solo home run to lead off the frame.
Durden homered in the eighth to add one more run and expand the Pacer lead to 8-1.
First pitch of the final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday back at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
