AIKEN, S.C. - The Lander Softball team found runs at a premium on Saturday afternoon as they dropped their first PBC series of the season and suffered their first doubleheader sweep as they fell to the USC Aiken Pacers in a pair of games at J.H. Satcher Field. Aiken took the first game 7-1 before ending game two in five with a 10-2 score.
Lander now sits at 25-9 overall and 9-5 in PBC play while USC Aiken sits at 22-12 overall and 7-7 in the league.
Game 1: USC Aiken 7, Lander 1
The Pacers opened up a 4-0 lead after two and the Bearcats had a good chance to crack the scoreboard in the fourth with two on and no outs but three straight strikeouts ended any potential rally.
The Pacers added another in the bottom of the fourth to make it 5-0 before the Bearcats got on the scoreboard in the sixth with an RBI single from
Abbie Behe but the Pacers responded with two more in the bottom of the inning and kept Lander off the board in the seventh to secure the win.
Game 2: USC Aiken 10, Lander 2 (F/5)
Lander struck first on an Emily Allen solo shot to center in the first inning but the Pacers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Logan Coward tied the game in the top of the second with another solo home run to make it 2-2.
However, the Pacers pulled away in the fourth with six runs and then added a two-run double in the fifth to end the game early.
The Lander Softball team's originally scheduled doubleheader with the Southern Wesleyan Warriors on Tuesday, April 2nd has been canceled so the Bearcats will play next on Friday, April 5th as they open their PBC series with the Flagler Saints. That game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.
