Pacers suffer first loss of 2012 season

MAKING AN IMPACT: Ty Barkell has picked up a hit in each of the Pacers’ six contests this season. Staff photo by ERIC RUSSELL.

At the start of the sixth inning, USC Aiken (5-1) looked as though it would cruise to another easy victory on Sunday, as Pacers' starting pitcher Kelly Holt was working on a no-hitter and USCA's baseball team held a four-run advantage.

By the end of the inning, however, USCA was trailing North Georgia (4-2) by five runs. North Georgia put up nine runs in the sixth to defeat the Pacers 14-6, ending USCA's five-game winning streak.

The sixth inning started with an error by shortstop Stephen Carmon, the first of two costly errors in the inning. Two singles later, Holt found himself in a bases-loaded jam with one out. He then gave up two more singles to left field and hit a batter, bringing the score to 4-3 and putting an end to his day on the mound.

Senior Thomas McLeod came in to relieve Holt and gave up two quick hits and a walk with the bases loaded to push the North Georgia lead to 6-4. The next pair of runs in the inning crossed the plate when a routine ground ball rolled through third baseman Kevin Gifford's legs and into left field. North Georgia put up one more run before freshman Abram Cartledge was able to come in and stop the Saints with a strikeout.

USC Aiken coach Kenny Thomas took part of the blame for the inning after the game, saying that his decisions backfired on him.

"I have to know who to put in during jams and who to put in to start off innings," Thomas said. "After looking back, I should've went with Cartledge to put the fire out before it got any worse and started the next inning with McLeod."

Thomas also admitted that Holt having a no-hitter going affected his decision-making.

"We really wanted to go to the bullpen in that inning, but Holt had a no-hitter going, and you hate to do that to the kid," he said.

The Pacers gave up three more runs in the seventh inning, one of which was a result of another Pacer error, to push the lead to 12-4. The Pacers' miscues on defense and offense continued to cost them in the game. Only six of the Saints' 14 runs were earned.

Thomas also expressed frustration that his squad missed several opportunities to increase its lead before the marathon sixth inning. The Pacers left a runner on third base in the second inning, and Miller was thrown out at home plate on a steal attempt in the fifth inning.

"We just weren't very good at all today," Thomas said. "We missed a sign, and we ran ourselves out of a couple of innings we shouldn't have."

The Pacers built a little momentum in the bottom of the seventh. Branden Millhouse reached on an error and scored on a Josh Miller single. Bill Gerstenslager then beat out what was almost a double-play ball to give the Pacers runners on the corner with one out in the inning.

Ty Barkell then doubled, scoring Miller. Gerstenslager was thrown out on the play trying to score from first, leaving the Pacers with a runner on second with two outs instead of runners on second and third with one out. The two runs scored in the inning were the last for the Pacers on the day.

In the top of the eighth, the Saints scored the final two runs of the game on a sac fly and a throwing error by pitcher Christian Stutts.

Despite the outcome, Thomas did see some positive things in the game.

"I was pleased with the way (Danny) Wissmann, (Taylor) Grover and (Jake) Padgett pitched for us at the end of the game," Thomas said.

The Pacers used eight pitchers in Saturday's game. Holt received the loss for the Pacers, pitching 5âÖì innings with four strikeouts, six runs and four hits.

Senior outfielder Nick Aranas was not in attendance at the game for the Pacers. After playing Saturday's game sick, Aranas was sidelined for Sunday's matchup with the flu.