DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (3-13) dropped a doubleheader against USC Aiken (13-3) at the Erskine Softball Complex on Tuesday.

The Fleet slugged three home runs, including a pair of big flies from Kaley Ingle, who totaled five RBIs, in Game 1, and rallied back from an early five-run deficit, but came up just short.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: USC Aiken 10-9 Erskine 
Both offenses stole the show in what was an entertaining first game. After the visitors, opened the scoring in the top of the first, Gabby Burroughs continued her torrid stretch at the plate with a monster two-run home run to flip the Fleet's early deficit on its head. However, USC Aiken responded with a six-spot in the next half-inning and Erskine found itself in a 7-2 hole. The Fleet wasted no time gettin back into the game, though, as Kaley Ingle helped her own cause with a two-run home run to make it a 7-4 game. In the third inning, base knocks from Kyndall Chandler, Burroughs, and Brooke Patterson loaded the bases for the Fleet, and Peyton Rabon followed with a single of her own, scoring a pair of runs and getting the Fleet within one. Then, with two outs, Ingle found the magic again, launching a three-run home run off the left field foul pole to cap a five-run frame and put Erskine back in front 9-7. However, the Pacers had the answer again, scoring three times in the fourth to regain their lead. Ingle found a rhythm in the circle in the later innings, but the Fleet were unable to scratch across another run as USC Aiken escaped with a 10-9 win in the opener.

Game 2: USC Aiken 12-1 Erskine (Final / 5 innings)
After an intense loss in Game 1, Erskine responded well to begin Game 2. Freshman starter Kaylee Odum breezed through her first inning in the circle, and the Fleet wasted no time getting out to a lead, thanks to another Gabby Burroughs RBI that scored Kenzie Eagleman. But, USC Aiken took control of the game in the next few innings, scoring six times in the second and never looked back as the Fleet fell in the back half of the doubleheader.

THE PLAYER
Despite the loss in Game 1, junior Kaley Ingle had a huge performance at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs, including a go-ahead three-run blast in the third inning. Ingle also pitched a complete game in the circle and totaled seven strikeouts in the opener.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine has a week off before the Fleet head on the road for a doubleheader at Lenoir-Rhyne University (14-4) next Tuesday, March 5 at 2 p.m. This will be the Fleet's first trip to Hickory since the 2019 season.

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