FLORENCE, S.C. – Jabe Molinaro tie the game with a two-run double to left-center and then scored the winning run on a ground ball to shortstop to help rally Flagler College to a 5-4 win over No. 24 (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Top 30) University of South Carolina Aiken in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament game in Pool B Friday night at Sparrow Stadium.

Flagler improved to 30-19 overall and 1-1 in pool play. USC Aiken fell to 36-16 overall and dropped to 0-2 in pool play. Flagler was eliminated from contending for the championship earlier in the day when Lander University won its second game in the pool and Lander has clinched a spot in Sunday's final. With the loss, USC Aiken is eliminated as well. Both teams will play one more game tomorrow.

Trailing 4-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Saints got the rally going when lead-off hitter Brendan McKendry drew a four-pitch walk from USC Aiken closer Nick Jobst (6-3). Frankie Sagarese came in to pinch run for McKendry. Jake Hathaway hit a line drive that just tipped off the second baseman's glove, who leapt to catch the shot, and the ball went into the right-center gap for a double. Molinaro then hit a double to left-center that just missed going out of the park when it the top of the wall, which scored both runs to tie the game. Dylan Jones drew a walk which spelled the end of the night for Jobst and in came Trevor Hutto who earned a win in relief against the Saints earlier this season. Hutto got the first batter he faced to ground out to shortstop and Jones was retired at second base which left runners on the corners with one out. Kolin McMillen hit a grounder to shortstop, but Molinaro beat the throw to the plate to end the game.

MacLain Larson (1-1) picked up his first win of the season and only had to throw five pitches. He retired the Pacers in order in the ninth. The Flagler pitching staff fanned 16 batters which tied a tournament record for most strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Michael Maiocco tossed 4.2 innings, scattered seven hits, allowed two runs, walked one and struck out 11 batters. Kyle Schackne tossed 3.1 innings, allowed five hits and two runs, walked one batter and fanned another five.

Molinaro went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in and he scored the winning run. Hathaway went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored while Jones also went 2-for-4 with a double, but he knocked in a run.

Jobst tossed one-plus innings, allowed two hits, three runs, walked two and struck out two. Joe Marlow started for the Pacers and tossed seven innings, surrendered nine hits and two runs. He fanned six.

Jordan Banks collected three singles and scored a run. Mitchell Price and Chaz Pal each hit a single and a double. Price scored a run and Pal had one RBI.

Flagler concludes its season on Saturday at 3 p.m. against the University of Montevallo. USC Aiken takes on Lander at 7 p.m. to conclude the pool play portion of the tournament.   

NOTE: Tonight's win was Flagler's first PBC Tournament win since defeating the University of North Georgia 7-5 on March 8, 2010. The Saints have made the conference's post-season tournament three times – 2010, 2015 and 2016.