ST. AUGUSTINE – Back-to-back walks in the seventh inning led to an RBI-double by
Donovan Garcia to break a 4-all tie and
Matthew Burke hit a sacrifice fly for insurance as Flagler College held on for a 6-5 win over USC Aiken in a Peach Belt Conference game Saturday afternoon at Drysdale Field on "Red Cox Day."
Flagler improved to 10-14 overall and evened its Peach Belt record to 4-4. USC Aiken's losing streak was extended to eight games as it dropped to 7-18 overall and 3-5 in conference play. The final game of the series is tomorrow at noon.
With the score tied at 4 in the bottom of the seventh,
Taylor Clapp and
Payton Palladino both drew one-out walks.
Donovan Garcia greeted USC Aiken reliever Derek Espinoza with a double off the left field wall, which scored Clapp. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Burke lifted a fly ball to center field and Palladino scored easily to give the Saints a 6-4 lead.
The Pacers got an unearned run in the ninth, and had a double play and a strikeout wipe out the rally attempt.
Jake Hill (1-1) earned the win in relief as he tossed two-thirds of an inning and walked a batter.
Cooper Smith got the start and allowed four runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings.
Bryceton Berry came on in the ninth with runners at first and second base and induced a double play and struck out the final batter to earn the save.
Clapp went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored, and he had two runs batted in.
Hunter Steger (0-4) surrendered six runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work for the Pacers. He walked four batters and hit two more.
Cade Bouknight led USC Aiken with a single, a double, and he had two RBI. Doom Dennis hit a solo home run in the sixth inning.
Before the game, Flagler College Senior Associate Athletic Director Joey Wiles was the recipient of the prestigious "Red" Cox Award for his years of service to the St. Augustine community youth. He was the former St. Augustine High School football coach for 20 years before his new role with Flagler Athletics, which started in 2016.
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