AMERICUS, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University baseball team picked up its first Peach Belt Conference win of the season by defeating the University of South Carolina Aiken, 5-1, Friday evening at Hurricane Stadium.
The win was big on many levels for the GSW program as the Hurricanes snapped a seven-game losing skid this spring to improve to 4-16 overall and 1-12 in the Peach Belt, while USC Aiken has lost two of its last three games and dipped to 15-8 overall and 6-4 in conference play. The Hurricanes had one win in the last 17 meetings with USC Aiken heading into Friday's matchup and, despite being 5-8 all-time against the Pacers at Hurricane Stadium, GSW's last win at home against USCA came in 2009.
How It Happened: Riding the arm of its starting pitcher Kyle Britt, GSW scored all the runs needed to pick up the win in the sixth inning.
Trailing 1-0, the Hurricanes opened the frame with a single by Devin Shea. Following a sacrifice bunt by Jason Baita, Kole Clark beat out a chop single into a hole on the left side. Josh Logan was hit by a pitch on the Hurricanes next at bat to load the bases and Shea scored on a passed ball. The big hit came from Jared Jones. A two-run single to right by Jones scored Logan and Clark.
The Hurricanes were beneficiaries of a two-out, two-run error in the seventh to get a pair of insurance runs that Britt didn't need.
Britt (2-0) went the distance in 115 pitches. He scattered six hits, walked three and struck out three. The lone USCA run came in the fourth inning on a solo home run to left field by Daulton Weeks.
The Pacers used three pitchers in the game. Starter Zach Rafuse (3-2) took the loss after surrendering three runs after six innings. Rafuse walked four and struck out two.
Who Stood Out: Britt. The senior from Paris, Texas, has accounted for the Hurricanes two wins since opening day. His earned run average dropped to 1.67 after Friday's complete-game effort, which ranks third among starting pitchers in the Peach Belt.
Up Next: GSW and USC Aiken meet for Game 2 of the weekend series on Saturday at 1 p.m.