PBC Tournament - Augusta State Upends USC Aiken 7-4

AIKEN, S.C. – ASU freshman Wilson Taylor pitched seven innings and the Jaguars made the most of their early opportunities as they upset top-seeded USC Aiken 7-4 in the final quarterfinal game of the 2009 PBC Tournament in Aiken. With that win, the first for the Jaguars following six straight losses to their local rivals, ASU will face North Georgia in the semifinals on Sunday at 2:30 pm.

After a scoreless first from both teams, Kevin Owens led off the second for Augusta State with a triple and later scored on Alex Walker’s single through the left side. Alex Sickman then singled on a ball that came back to the mound. Both runners then moved over a base on a wild pitch with Walker scoring on a Tony Baker’s groundout to third.

ASU increased their lead to 5-0 in the third. Sickman had the big blow with a bases-loaded double down the left field line, driving in all three runs. The Pacers answered with a run in the bottom of the third on Stephen Carmon’s sac fly to score Gary Asbill. The Pacers tried to add more with two outs as Cody McMorris singled and then tried to score on Alex Franklin’s drive to deep right field, but was cut down at home plate following a four-player relay that ended with Sickman, the ASU catcher, applying the tag on a throw from Evan Smith at short.

The Pacers added another run in the fourth on Nick Aranas’ solo home run to right.

The Jaguars built a 7-2 lead in the sixth as Tim Rawlings homered to left center. Jorge Virguez led off the inning with a single but was thrown out at second on Shannon Wilkerson’s fielder’s choice. Wilkerson beat out the attempt at the double play and was on base when Rawlings sent the first pitch he saw from Steven Spire over the wall in left center. That was the last pitch that Spire (L, 6-2)threw as he was retired after pitching 5.2 innings and allowing seven runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts.

The Pacers answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh but once again ASU was able to limit the damage. With two outs and the bases loaded, USCA’s Jamie Benjamin singled to second where the ASU defense was able to keep the ball on the infield allowing only one run to score. Benjamin was then thrown out at second on Asbill’s grounder.

Taylor started the eight inning for the Jaguars, but was pulled after giving up a leadoff double to Franklin. Taylor was replaced by Chris Tyler, who balked Franklin over to third. He later scored on Travis Howard’s groundout to short.

Taylor (5-4) pitched seven strong, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out four. The freshman threw an efficient 95 pitches in his outing, walking only one.

Tyler pitched the final two innings for the Jaguars, allowing only one hit and walking one. He struck out two, including the final out of the game with two runners on in the ninth.

Sickman went 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs while Rawlings, Walker and Shannon Wilkerson each had two hits. Wilkerson doubled and scored once while Walker drove in one and scored twice.

McMorris, Franklin and Ken Raborn all had two hits for USC Aiken, but scored only two runs with no RBIs between them. USC Aiken, the top-hitting team in the PBC during the season, collected 10 hits, three of them for extra bases.

Augusta State is fighting for the PBC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regional which is their only shot for continuing their postseason. USC Aiken, ranked #2 in the nation, is the top-ranked team in the southeast region and assured of a spot, if not hosting duties, for next week’s NCAA Tournament.

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