The Claflin University baseball team split their Peach Belt Conference (PBC) doubleheader with USC Aiken Friday (Apr. 2) dropping game one 8-3 and coming from behind to win game two 6-5. The teams will meet in the rubber game Saturday, Apr. 3 at 2 p.m. It will be Senior Day at Historic Mirmow Field. The seven baseball seniors will be honored in a pre-game ceremony before the game at approximately 1:30 p.m.
With the split, the Panthers’ overall and conference records go to 3-22. The Pacers move to 12-12 overall and in the conference heading into Saturday’s game.
The Panthers battled back from four down in game two to defeat the Pacers for its third PBC win of the season and the program.
After entering the game in the top of the third inning with runners on first and second and two outs, Christian Carr walked the first batter faced to load the bases but got out of the inning by forcing the next batter into a fielder’s choice to get the base runner out at third.
Over the next four innings, Claflin’s bats and defense came to life. The Panthers first two batters of the third inning, Jaiden Garner and Steve Joyner reached base via an error by the short-stop. With one out, Gerard Dobbs hit an RBI single to score Garner to cut the deficit to one. Joyner subsequently scored on an RBI single by Mackenze Gay to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
Quinten Kinard lined out to end the inning.
The Panthers pulled within one (4-3) in the bottom of fourth as a double down the leftfield line by Joyner scored Garner, who walked earlier in the inning. Claflin tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth as Gay hit a two-run homer to right field which gave the Panthers their first lead of the game, 5-4.
The Panthers scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth as Dobbs hit an RBI sing to left field to score Joyner who reached via a hit by pitch to lead off the inning.
Over the four innings, Claflin’s defense allowed just three hits and four Pacers base runners.
With one out, Jackson Hannon hit a home run in the top of the eighth to cut the lead to one but Carr retired the next two batters to pick up his first win of the season.
Lindsey Robinson, Jr. (0-3) went 4.1 innings allowing five runs was the loser for USC Aiken.
Gay went 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs to pace the Panthers.
Hannon, Morgan Hyde, and Nick Tripp and two runs and one run each to lead the Pacers.
In the opening game, Claflin jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first but was shutout the rest of the way.
Joyner led off the inning with a triple to right field and scored on an RBI single by Da’Avion Sumpter for the first run of the game. The first four Panthers reached base in the inning as Dobbs reached via a hit by pitch and Nicholas Johnson reached on a throwing error which scored Sumpter.
Quinten Kinard hit a sacrifice fly to score Dobbs for the third run of the inning.
USC Aiken rally began in the top of the second as Jeff Cyr hit a two-run home run which scored Leo Horacio.
The pacers put up two runs in the fourth, three in the seventh, and one in the eighth for its eight runs in game one.
Cyr was 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBIs, and a walk to lead the Pacers.
Sumpter paced the panthers in game one going 3-for-4 with a run and RBI.
Daniel Wiggins (3-1) went eight innings, allowing three runs with five strikeouts to pick up the win.
Chris McKenzie (0-1) went four innings gave up five hits with four runs and a strikeout was the losing pitcher of game one.