ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College got an excellent outing from starter Dustin Dye and held on at the end to edge No. 20 (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Top 30) University of South Carolina Aiken 7-5 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Sunday afternoon at Drysdale Field.

Flagler improved to 26-18 overall and 13-14 in the Peach Belt and takes the series 2-1. USC Aiken dropped to 33-14 overall and 20-10 in conference play.

Dye (5-5) scattered seven hits over 7.2 innings pitched, his longest outing of the year. He allowed two runs, walked three and struck out four batters. Dye induced eight fly outs and nine more ground outs.

With the score tied at 2-all going into the bottom of the fifth inning, Dylan Jones led off with a double to right-center, took third on a grounder and then scored on anther grounder to Flagler a 3-2 lead.

The Saints added another run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth and pulled away with a three-run eighth with the help of a two-run single by Jabe Molinaro.

The Pacers made it interesting in the ninth when Zach Moon hit a bases-loaded double down the right field line to plate two runs to cut the deficit to 7-5. Jeremy Graf closed the door to earn his fourth save of the season. He pitched one scoreless inning, but allowed two inherited runners to score. He walked two and struck out two.

Jones went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored to lead the Saints. Kolin McMillen went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in while Igor Baez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run.

Nick Yobbi (5-3) took the loss for USC Aiken. He tossed five innings, allowed eight hits and three runs.

Luke Westerberg singled twice, scored a run and knocked in two more. Brian Parriera went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Max Schoen collected two singles.

Flagler will break for finals and return to the field on May 6 for its final homestand of the season against Francis Marion University for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.