RELATED: Pacers Take Game One From Softball With Second-Inning Boom

AIKEN, S.C. – A late comeback in the sixth and seventh innings by the UNC Pembroke softball team tied up the contest with USC Aiken, but a line drive base hit with bases loaded gave the Pacers the game-winning score to take the Peach Belt Conference sweep, 6-5, in eight innings on Saturday afternoon.

The loss was the ninth-straight for UNCP (17-21, 5-11 PBC) after suffering sweeps to the past four league opponents, while USC Aiken (26-11, 9-5) extended its winning-streak to three games.

Sophomore Kaytee Wilson led UNCP in hits as she went 2-for-4 from the plate and scored one run, while six others help to collect UNCP's eight hits in the game. Caitlin Steel, Brea Hartley and Taylor Cloninger each scored one run and tallied one RBI apiece.

The Pacers combined for 14 hits as Kaitlyn White and Ashley Metts each collected three hits apiece, while Samantha Chubb claimed a pair of RBI.

Junior Selena Ashley (7-10) faced 38 batters and struck out four during her 7-1/3 innings in the middle for the Black and Gold, but gave up six runs (two earned) on 14 hits and two walks. Taylor Morgan pitched the first six innings for USC Aiken before India Kornegay (17-2) closed out the contest for the win. Morgan allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with five strikeouts, while Kornegay gave up one earned run on two hits in her two innings.

USC Aiken claimed its first two runs on Chubb's homerun in the first inning, and then added another two runs on a walk and a pair of hits in the second inning to extend the lead to 4-0. The Pacers added another run in the fifth inning before UNCP began its comeback in the sixth.

Steel began the inning with a base hit to centerfield and was moved to second when Hartley was walked. Cloninger stepped up to the plate and used a double to right centerfield to bring in Steel. Shelby Holland and Megan Hillard brought in Hartley and Cloninger, respectively, to cut the deficit to two runs.

Again in the seventh, Whitney Jackson tagged first on a fielder's choice before Wilson moved her over with a single to right field. Capitalizing on an error in Steel's at-bat, Jackson crossed home plate preceding Wilson's tying run on a single by Hartley.

Four consecutive hits in the bottom of the eighth not only loaded the bases, but scored the game-winning run for USC Aiken's win.

The Lady Braves will close out their final road contest of the season with a Sunday doubleheader against Lander (6-36, 0-14). First pitch is set to be thrown at noon.