FLORENCE, S.C. – Flagler College sent nine men to the plate in the third and fourth innings and scored seven runs on its way to an 8-4 win over No. 13 (
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Top 30) University of South Carolina Aiken in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament baseball game Friday afternoon at Sparrow Stadium.
The Saints improved to 30-23 and will take on No. 28 University of North Carolina at Pembroke at 5 p.m. this afternoon. Flagler will have to beat UNC Pembroke twice to advance to the championship game tomorrow. With the win, Flagler has won 30 or more games in each of the last three seasons. The last time that happened was 1998-2003 where the Saints won 30 or more games six years in a row. USC Aiken falls to 39-13 overall, but the Pacers are ranked No. 3 in the latest NCAA Division II Southeast Region ranking and their season will continue next weekend (May 18-21) at the regional tournament.
Flagler trailed 1-0 going into the top of the third inning, but got a break with Pacer starter Christian Aragon (4-2) walked three batters in a row after striking out the lead-off hitter. The Saints tied the game on a sacrifice fly by
Dylan Jones and then yesterday's hero,
Cole Ondrejka, drove in another run with a base hit.
Igor Baez and
Jason Moore each followed with a run-producing hit. Moore's was a double down the left field line.
Ethan Crout hit a two-run single in the top of the fourth to give Flagler a 6-2 lead. Crout scored on a bases loaded walk issued to Baez.
The Saints pitching did a great job of keeping one of the top slugging teams (a .520 percentage) in check. The Pacers were held to 10 singles and only three extra-base hits. Flagler pitching recorded seven strike outs and did not walk a batter. The staff induced nine ground outs and eight fly outs.
Dante Pagano (1-0) recorded his first collegiate victory after tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and fanned two batters.
Ryan Ashworth started and tossed three innings while
Luke Cooksey and
Ethan Jones tossed in relief. Jones earned his first collegiate save after allowing just one hit in a scoreless inning and two-thirds of relief.
Ondrejka continued on his torrid hitting streak going 3-for-4 with one run batted in and one run scored. In the last two games, Ondrejka is 8-for-9 with two runs scored and three RBI. Crout singled twice, scored two runs and drove in three more. Baez collected two singles and knocked in two runs while Moore went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
Bobby Bassler had a base hit, two walks and scored three runs.
Aragon allowed six runs on four hits in just three-plus innings of work. He walked five batters.
Luke Westerberg went 3-for-5 with a double and he scored a run. Zach Moon went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and he drove in two more.
