Related: No. 6 USC Aiken Slips By Baseball In Series-Opening Slugfest

PEMBROKE – Sixth-ranked USC Aiken matched a season-high with 21 hits and scored 15 times in the first five innings alone on the way to a series-clinching 19-8 victory over the UNC Pembroke baseball team on Saturday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.

Six players turned in two hits apiece for the Braves (23-11, 9-8 PBC), including Stibel Aleman Saba who homered for the second-straight game to highlight a 2-for-5 day at the plate. Drew Beaver (1-for-5) hit his fourth home run of the campaign as well.

Mitchell Price (4-for-5, 4 RBI) hit a pair of home runs for the second-straight game to lead the Pacers (28-6, 18-5) who tallied 15 of their 21 hits with runners on base and hit 9-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Nile Goings (4-for-6, R) also turned in a four-hit day at the plate for the visitors.

Jesse Stinnett (5-2) allowed 14 runs (10 earned) on 12 hits and a trio of walks to take the loss for the Black & Gold. Nick Yobbi (5-0) stayed unbeaten on the season despite allowing five earned runs on nine hits in six innings from the mound for USC Aiken.

Despite seeing their first two batters of the contest go down in a hurry, USC Aiken rallied for four runs in the first inning and never looked back. Staring at a 10-0 deficit through three innings, the Braves erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the Pacers answered with five scores in the fifth to forge a 15-4 advantage.

The Braves and Pacers will close out the weekend series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at Sammy Cox Field.