AIKEN, S.C. – Breaking open a pitchers’ duel in the sixth inning, #12 USC Aiken (17-4, 3-1 PBC) drilled #7 Francis Marion (16-6, 5-2 PBC) 11-1 in Peach Belt Conference baseball action at Roberto Hernandez Stadium Saturday afternoon.  Getting a career-high 13 strikeouts in eight strong innings from senior southpaw Scott Wandless, USCA won the opener of the highly-anticipated three-game series between the highly-ranked teams.

After Wandless got out of a bases-loaded jam with two strikeouts in the top of the first, neither offense was able to get to either starting pitcher over the next three and a half innings.  Through four frames, Wandless had recorded eight strikeouts and FMU starter David Walters had struck out seven.

The Patriots finally got to Wandless in the fifth inning to plate the game’s first run.  The senior hit Ryan Hewitt to start the inning before Shawn Summers reached on a fielder’s choice.  With two outs, Justin Greene hit an RBI triple to right field.  

Wandless (4-0) allowed just one hit the rest of the way, and the Pacer offense finally helped their hurler out in the bottom of the sixth.   

John Sherrer walked and Cody McMorris singled with one out.  After Walters got Salmon on strikes, junior Chad Jacobsen singled through the left side of the infield to plate Sherrer and tie the game. Nick Aranus plated a run with a single and David Vitko worked a bases loaded walk to put the hosts ahead 3-1.  

After Wandless worked a quick seventh inning, USCA piled on against FMU in the bottom half of the frame.  Cody McMorris scored an unearned run on a passed ball, Ken Raborn hit an RBI single up the middle, and Aranus ripped a two-run double to cap the four-run inning.  

Already well over 100 pitches, Wandless did not miss a beat in the eighth, his last inning on the mound.  The southpaw induced a come backer before striking out the last to hitters to break his career high with 13 punch outs.  Wandless allowed just four hits and the one run while walking two.  

Jacobsen drilled a two-run triple and Aranus drove in his fourth run of the game with an RBI double as part of a five-run Pacer eighth.  Jacobsen finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI, Aranus was 3-for-5 with four runs driven in, and McMorris added three hits in five at-bats with three runs scored.

Francis Marion senior Greg Phelps led off the game with a double to extend his hitting streak to 30 games, tying the Patriots’ school record.  

Walters (6-2) took the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings while striking out 13.

The two teams will play a twinbill Sunday at Hernandez Stadium with game one slated for a 1:00 PM start.              


#7 Francis Marion.……................... 000 010 000 -    1    4  0
USC Aiken........................................ 000 003 45x -  12  10  1

Win – Wandless (4-0); Loss – Walters (6-2).
 
E – Grandinetti(12).  LOB – Patriots 9; Pacers 9.  2B – Phelps(7); Aranus 2(7); Grandinetti(4).  3B – Greene(2); Jacobsen(1). HBP – Shuey; Hewitt; Grandinetti.  SH – Knight.  SB – Summers(2).