Pacer Baseball Rolls over St. Andrews

AIKEN, S.C. – Gary Asbill tripled, stole a game-high two bases and finished the game with two hits to help lead USC Aiken to a dominating 15-2 victory over St. Andrews on Wednesday evening in non-conference baseball action at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

Asbill (Batesburg, S.C./Batesburg-Leesville) was 2-for-3 in total in the game, finishing with two RBIs and one run scored in addition to the two hits. Asbill reached base in every one of his at-bats.

He was one of five Pacers to record multiple hits with three of the five collecting three hits in the contest.

Two-time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week Travis Howard (Bonneau, S.C./USC Salkehatchie) led the players with three hits in the game. Howard was 3-for-5 in total with four RBIs and two runs scored. Leadoff hitter Cody McMorris (Canton, Ga./Southern Union CC) was also 3-for-5 from the dish in the contest, scoring three runs and obtaining one RBI.

Local product Jowan Gray (Aiken, S.C./South Aiken) had his best game in a Pacer uniform in the domination of St. Andrews on Wednesday evening.  A freshman, Gray was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored.

Alex Franklin (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta) was the final Pacer to tally multiple hits in the game. Franklin was a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.

Ken Raborn (Evans, Ga./Evans) could only manage one hit in the contest, but it was a big one as he lifted a James Shadaya pitch to left centerfield in the top of the eighth inning for his fifth home run of the year. The tater acquired three runs for the Pacers and helped them continue to extend their lead in the game as the dinger was three runs of a five-spot for the Pacers in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Jeremy Fisher was the star for the Knights in the loss. Fisher only managed one hit in the contest, but for a depleted St. Andrews lineup he was the epitome of a utility player as the junior from Cantonsville, Md. played six positions in the game, including pitcher.

Fisher began the game as the designated hitter but due to an injury that forced the designated hitter out of the lineup and left the Knights with only nine spots, Fisher was forced to play numerous positions. Fisher in addition to designated hitter and pitcher also played second base, right field, left field and shortstop.

Kyle Norris was the hitting star for the Knights in their 13-run loss to the Pacers. Norris accounted for one of the two runs by St. Andrews in the game on a solo home run in the top of the third inning.

By the time Norris had obtained the home run the game was pretty much already turned in USC Aiken’s favor as the Pacers had taken a 4-0 lead after two innings.

The home run would be bested by another two runs by the Pacers in the bottom of the third inning. They would then tack on two more to own a 8-1 lead after four stanzas.

The Pacer offense was not the only thing rolling though in those opening frames as starting pitcher Justin Fry (Augusta, Ga./Darton) fanned eight batters in his five innings of work. Fry forced six of the eight into called third strikes.

Fry’s profiency on the mound led to him leaving after five innings having given up just three hits. He improved to 1-3 on the year with the victory.
St. Andrews starter Travis Lee dropped to 2-4 on the season with the loss, hurling just two innings. He gave up four earned runs and did not manage one strikeout.

USC Aiken after the St. Andrews win has now won 13 of its last 16 games. The Pacers are also now a season-best eight games over .500 at 22-14.
St. Andrews dropped to 5-28 on the season with the loss to the Pacers.

USC Aiken will next try and obtain its fourth consecutive Peach Belt Conference series victory on the road in Savannah, Ga. against league rival Armstrong Atlantic State. The Pacers and Pirates will open the three-game set with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. The third and final game of the three-game series will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 5.