Wingate, N.C.----The USC Aiken Pacers handed Wingate its first loss of the season, prevailing 9-5 in NCAA Division II baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. USC Aiken improves to 5-2 overall, while the 'Dogs fall to 7-1 on the season.
Brian Parreira had a homer and three RBI to lead the USC Aiken offense. Joey Smithers and
Connor Durden each added a homer and two RBI for the Pacers, while
Philip Watcher also drove in a run.
Junior outfielder
Tanner Forry (York, Pa.) homered to lead the Wingate offense. Senior outfielder
Ty Andrus (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and junior outfielder
Austin Turgeon (Athens, Ga.) each added an RBI and a run scored for the Bulldogs.
Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Andrus and
McCann Mellett (Charlotte, N.C.) started the inning with singles, then moved to second and third on a double steal. Andrus scored on a wild pitch to put the 'Dogs on top.
An RBI single from Watcher in the fourth tied the game, while the Pacers scored four times in the fifth to take the lead. Parreira's three-run homer was the big blow, while Smither followed with a solo shot to make it 5-1.
The Bulldogs got within a run in the sixth, loading the bases for Turgeon, who drove home the first run with an RBI groundout. Andrus and
Bradley Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) drew bases-loaded walks to make it 5-4.
Smithers extended the lead in the seventh with an RBI single, while Durden's two-run shot later in the frame put the Pacers on top 9-4.
Forry got Wingate back within four in the seventh by connecting on his third homer of the season, a solo shot to center to make it 9-5.
Christian Aragon got the win, moving to 2-0. He allowed four runs on four hits in five innings, striking out eight and walking four.
Daniel Wiggins allowed a run in 3 1/3 innings, striking out five to earn the save. Junior right-hander
Nick Stegman (Frederick, Md.) took the loss, falling to 1-1. He allowed one earned run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out one and walking two.
Wingate opens a three-game series against Charleston Friday night at 6 p.m. The two teams play again Saturday at 4 p.m., then wrap up the series Sunday at 1 p.m.