AIKEN, S.C. – An early lead for Georgia College baseball (3-8, 0-4 PBC) couldn't hold up as the Bobcats fell 8-5 at USC Aiken Friday afternoon.

Georgia College started strong, leading 5-1 heading into the bottom of the second. All five runs were scored on singles, two for first baseman Clay Ardeeser (Loganville, Georgia) another for designated hitter Brandon Purcell (Glennville, Georgia) and a pair of runs plated on an RBI single from rightfielder Dylan Cook (Portola Valley,California).

The Pacers scored four in the bottom of the fifth to tie, then moved ahead on another run in the fifth. A two-run six gave the USCA bullpen the cushion it needed for the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) victory.  

Cook finished with three hits in five trips, driving in the two runs. Second baseman John Davis (Marietta, Georgia) added three hits of his own, all singles. Ardeeser was 2-for-5 with two RBI to round out the multi-hit performers.

Reliever Kyle Ward (Rincon, Georgia) took the loss (0-1) in 1 1/3 innings of work, allowing a run on two hits while fanning a pair. The victory went to Pacer reliever Erik Davis (2-0) throwing four shutout innings. James Lynch mopped up for his second save. USCA shortstop Sean Miller was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run.

The Bobcats finish the three-game set with USCA tomorrow, Feb. 28 in doubleheader action at 1 p.m.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division- II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.