ST. AUGUSTINE – After a marathon first game (4-hours and 26-minutes) where Zach Moon belted a two-run home run in the 12^th inning to send No. 20 (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Top 30) University of South Carolina Aiken to a 12-11 win, Flagler College was able to gain the split with a 6-4 win in the nightcap in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader Saturday at Drysdale Field.

Flagler is now 25-18 overall and 12-14 in the Peach Belt. USC Aiken moves to 33-13 overall and 20-9 in conference play.

In the opener, the Pacers showed why they are seventh in the nation in home runs early and often. In the first inning Chaz Pal hit a two-run home run that just cleared the left-center field wall and Moon followed with a shot to left field. Those were the first of four home runs the Pacers would hit.

USC Aiken built an 8-2 lead, but Flagler was able to cut into the deficit when James Jean blasted a two-run home run to left.

The Pacers got a run back in the eighth to take a 9-4 lead when Flagler stormed back in the home-half of the inning. The Saints sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs on four hits. A wild pitch, then a pinch hit RBI single by Jake Hathaway followed by a bases loaded walk cut the Pacer lead to two. Dylan Jones' single through the right side of the infield scored two more runs to tie the game at 9-all. Another wild pitch scored the go-ahead run for Flagler.

USC Aiken was able to the game in the top of the ninth. With reliever Luke Cooksey (5-2) on the hill to close out the game, Max Schoen hit a lead-off single to left-center and then was lifted for pinch runner Luke Westerberg. Nile Goings belted a double to the left-center gap which allowed Westerberg to score from first base.

In the top of the 12^th, Pal hit a one-out single to right and then Moon hit a towering home run to left field to give the Pacers the lead back at 12-10.

In the bottom of the 12^th, Hathaway hit a one-out double to center field, a deep shot that went off Mitchell Price's glove just before he hit the wall. He took third on a ground out and then scored on a single by Bryce Evans. The late rallied ended with runners on the corners as Kolin McMillen lined out to left field.

Trevor Hutto (3-1) picked up the win in relief after tossing 4.2 innings. He allowed two hits, one run, walked three and fanned four. Star closer Nick Jobst came in with the bases loaded and a 9-6 lead. He faced three batters and allowed one hit, a run, walked two and threw a wild pitch.

Moon paced the 19-hit attack going 5-for-7 with a double, two home runs, five runs batted in and three runs scored. Pal went 4-for-7 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Brian Parriera went 2-for-6 with a solo home run.

Cooksey tossed 3.1 innings and allowed six hits to go along with three runs. He walked two and struck out two. Mike O'Reilly started and lasted 2.1 innings as he gave up seven hits and five runs. Kyle Schackne pitched a strong 3.2 innings in relief as he surrendered three hits and three runs, but tied his season-high for strikeouts with seven.

Jabe Molinaro went 3-for-5 with his first home run of the season, three RBI and two runs scored. McMillen hit three singles and scored two runs. Hathaway singled, doubled, scored two runs and knocked in another.

In the second game, the offenses cooled off as Flagler used a four-run seventh inning to rally past USC Aiken, 6-4.

Trailing 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, the inning started with back-to-back base hits by Jason Moore and Molinaro. Jones loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch from USC Aiken starter Joe Marlow (7-2). A bases loaded walk to Evans made the score 4-3, but Marlow struck out the next batter which ended his day. Connor Riley came in with the bases loaded and one out and hit Igor Baez to force in a run to tie the game. And then he threw two wild pitches, one when he walked Jean to give the Saints ta two-run lead.

Jordan Doyle (1-2) came on to pitch and the seventh inning and kept the Pacers off the board for the rest of the game. He tossed 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit with three strikeouts. Michael Maiocco tossed 6.1 innings, allowed six hits and four runs. He walked five and fanned eight.

Molinaro went 2-for-3 with a double and he scored two runs. Nick Oberg singled twice and Evans scored a pair of runs and had two stolen bases.

Marlow tossed 6.1 innings for the Pacers and surrendered eight hits and six runs. He struck out eight with three walks.

Westerberg hit a two-run home run for USC Aiken.

The same two teams will meet tomorrow (April 24) at 1 p.m. in the final game of the three-game series.