Saturday, February 17, 2007

NORTH GEORGIA FALLS 24th-RANKED PACERS
Two teams play third game tomorrow afternoon

Aiken, S.C.- (AP) USC Aiken (6-2, 2-0 PBC) pounded out 22 hits, nine of them for extra bases, in sweeping a Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader from North Georgia (2-6, 0-2 PBC) on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.  The 24th ranked Pacers rallied to claim game one 6-2 and cruised to an 11-6 decision in the nightcap.  With their fourth-straight win, USCA opens conference play 2-0 for the first time since 2001.

In game one, North Georgia capitalized on a lead-off double down the right field line by Josh Tate to grab a 1-0 advantage.

Ben Tankersley¹s one-out single up the middle set up an RBI double down the left field line by Chad Jacobsen to knot the game at 1-1 after one inning of play.  Tankersley and Jacobsen both finished with two hits, one run scored, and one RBI. 

Anders Oster tacked on an RBI double in the third to put the Saints back on top 2-1. 

USC Aiken responded, however, in the fifth inning with a three-spot to grab the lead for good 4-2.  The big blow of the inning was by Darryl Pui.  With two on and two out, Pui ripped a 1-1 pitch to left center, plating Marc Joehnk and Zach Cooper, resulting in a triple.  Joehnk finished 2-for-4 while Pui was 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Chris Sheehan belted the first pitch he saw in the eighth over the wall in right center, driving in Jacobsen who led off the inning with a double, to make it 6-2 in favor of the Pacers.

After a rough start, Scott Wandless (2-0) settled down to win his 12th-straight decision.  The All-Region hurler allowed two earned runs and four hits in 6.0 innings of work, walking three and striking out 10.  After tossing 27 pitches in the first inning, he finished with 108 pitches on the
day, 71 for strikes.

Ryan Mitchell worked 2.0 strong innings of relief, holding the Saints scoreless, while Adam Lovelace closed out the ninth.

Chris Curtis (1-2) suffered the loss for North Georgia after giving up four earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 5.1 innings pitched.

In game two, the Pacers jumped on North Georgia with six in the third and coasted to the 11-6 win.

Saints starter Brannon Sikes threw 2.0 perfect innings, but in the third, Sheehan and Cooper smacked a pair of two-out, two-run doubles to break open the inning.  USCA scored six in the inning on five hits and two errors, five of the runs coming with two outs.

Sheehan went 2-for-3 with three RBI while Pui chipped in a multi-hit game going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Pacers tacked on two in the fourth and fifth innings to lead 10-0. North Georgia managed five hits in the sixth to push across three runs and added three more in the seventh, but USCA won 11-3.

Tate, Neil Krock, Craig Brisson, and Brad Hall had two hits for the Saints.

On the mound, Jon Paul (1-2) went the distance, scattering 12 hits and one walk, fanning four and allowing two earned runs in the win.

Sikes (1-2) was chased after 3.2 innings surrendering eight runs, two earned, on seven hits and two walks.

USC Aiken and North Georgia will play the final game of their weekend series tomorrow at 1:00 PM and Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

Box Score (Game One)
Box Score (Game Two)

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