ST. AUGUSTINE – The University of South Carolina Aiken overcame a five-run seventh inning by Flagler College for a 10-6 victory in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Sunday afternoon at Drysdale Field.
USC Aiken swept the three-game series and improved to 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the Peach Belt. Flagler dropped to 12-6 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Flagler hosts USC Beaufort for a three-game series starting Friday at 5 p.m.
The Saints were down 7-1 going into the bottom of the seventh and USC Aiken starter Ben Shepherd (2-1) retired 13 batters in a row.
Eli Maddox hit a lead off single and
Jesse Sullivan followed with a double.
Brayden Fox drew a 10-pitch walk to load the bases and Shepherd was pulled from the game.
Payton Palladino and
Holden Bradshaw drew a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to 7-3. Dylan Dickert came on in relief for the Pacers and
Taylor Shultz greeted him with a two-run single. Two batters later, a fielder's choice got the Saints to within one run, 7-6.
USCA got the insurance it needed in the ninth. Three consecutive RBI singles by Johann Rodriguez, Cameron Austin, Jr., and Osmin Melendez put the game away.
CJ Lincoln induced a double play and a ground out in the bottom of the ninth.
Shepherd allowed four runs on four hits in six innings of work for the win. He retired nine batters on ground outs and eight more on fly outs.
Rodriguez led the 17-hit attack going 3-for-3 with a double, three runs scored, and two runs batted in. Melendez finished 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Salvatore Laimo collected three singles, scored a run, and knocked in another.
Garrett Wright (1-1) took the loss on the hill for Flagler. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings pitched.
Parker Adams and
Brayden Matthews both pitched in relief.
Maddox collected two singles, scored a run, and he drove in another.
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