AIKEN, S.C. – The Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes got behind early in their 10-2 loss at #14 USC Aiken (19-6, 10-5 PBC) on Friday night. GSW hoped to avoid the rocky start in game in the second day of the series, but were unable to right the ship as they were swept 6-0, 6-3.
GAME ONE: Georgia Southwestern- 0 #14 USC Aiken- 6
After giving up five runs in the first inning in the previous game, the Hurricanes and starter Frank Ambrosino avoided early trouble in game two of the series. The right-hander from Tampa tossed three scoreless innings to open the game before giving up the game's first run in the fourth, which came on a fielding error.
The Pacers would get their second run of the game in the next inning when third baseman J.J. Loker opened the inning with a walk. Back-to-back Aiken hitters would move him over before catcher Josh Miller's bunt single scored J.J. Loker from third.
Despite five hits, four of which came from the first three in the GSW lineup, the Hurricanes would be unable to get a runner across in the first six innings. The Hurricane offense left five runners on base and struck out three times during that same time.
USC Aiken would push their lead to 3-0 in the seventh after a Josh Miller would record his second RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly. Stephen Carmon would get on after Miller and advance and steal his way to third before being driven in by Nick Aranas.
With the score 4-0, Ambrosino was on the short-end of the stick in his start. He had only given up one earned run over seven innings pitched. The eighth inning would not be as kind to Ambrosino as his night would end after being charged with two more earned runs. The 6-0 lead would prove to be the final score.
USC Aiken starter Ryan Milewski would go the distance for the eight-hit shuout. Milewski would fan five GSW hitters while walking none in his nine innings of work.
GAME TWO: Georgia Southwestern- 3 #14 USC Aiken- 6
The two teams were held scoreless for the first two innings of the game as GSW starter Matt Weaver retired the Pacers in order in both innings. However, the sledding would get tough for Weaver in the third and fourth innings.
Two singles and a throwing error by GSW put runners on the corner with no outs. Dylan Durham would bring the first run in courtesy of a sacrifice fly, and Josh Miller would single home another run two batters later for the 2-0 lead.
USCA would get three more runs in the fourth inning as the inning began with back-to-back singles by Tyler Bourdo and Will Tankersley. The pair of singles was followed by a pair of fielder's choices, which advanced runners then scored one Pacer. Adam Anderson would then double to bring in the third run of the inning (fifth of the game) to make it 5-0 USC Aiken after four innings.
Georgia Southwestern would answer with their first run of the double header in the fifth inning via a Michel Coffey RBI single that scored Kyle Nobles who had previously been hit by a pitch.
Matt Weaver would settle down for the Blue & Gold throwing a scoreless fifth and sixth inning to keep the Pacers at bay. The senior from Elko would finish the afternoon pitching six innings, giving up eight hits and four earned runs while striking out four batters.
Grey Carden would come in relief of Weaver and toss a scoreless seventh inning, which segued to a two-run top of the eighth for the Hurricane offense. The inning began with a pair of singles from Michel Coffey and John Duran. Coffey would score on a Randall Sheffield fielder's choice that saw Duran get put out at second. Sheffield would advance to second on a wild pitch before being driven in by Jarrod Taylor's double down the leftfield line. The pair of RBI's for Sheffield and Taylor would cut the four-run USC Aiken lead in half.
Carden would hit the Bourdo with one out in the eighth inning. The mistake was compounded by a pair of wild pitches, which moved Bourdo to third within one at-bat. The Pacers would get the insurance run in courtesy of a Bill Gerstenslager RBI single. The rebuilt three-run lead would hold through the top of the ninth inning as USC Aiken would complete the sweep with the 6-3 victory.
Saturday's pair of losses put the Georgia Southwestern record at 4-22 (2-12 PBC) for the season. Coach McLain and company will play again with a two-day mid-week matchup in Florida. The Hurricanes will play St. Leo's on Tuesday, March 20th and Wednesday, March 21st. With the first pitch on Tuesday scheduled for 6 p.m.