FLORENCE, S.C. -No. 15 Augusta State dropped its first game of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with a 5-4 loss to the USC Aiken Pacers at Freedom Florence Park in Florence, S.C.

Augusta State is now 37-14 on the season, while the Pacers improved to 21-21 overall.

USC Aiken jumped out early in the first inning when Lauren Locklear reached on an error. Kelley King singled up the middle, advancing Locklear to second. USC Aiken would take a 1-0 lead with single from Blair Warren scoring Locklear.

USC Aiken added four more runs in the top of the fourth. Lindsey Jones and Whitney Clary would both reach on errors. Brandy Bossle singled to left field scoring Clary and Jones. The Pacers scored two more runs and took the lead 5-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Jags added three runs with a three-run homer from Leann Barber, knocking in Laura Brown and Beth Gerlach.

ASU would add one more run in bottom of the seventh with a single from Brown scoring pinch-runner Trisha Barber. The Pacers held off the Jags and posted a 5-4 victory over ASU.

ASU’s Sara DeMuth (15-7) suffered the loss and lasted 3.2 innings as she allowed four runs all unearned on four hits Kimberly Kennedy relieved DeMuth in the fourth and gave up one unearned on four hits in 3.1 innings of work.

Toni Flessate earned the win for the Pacers and improved to 13-9 on the season. She allowed three earned runs on eight hits and had four strikeouts.

Brown led the Jags with two hits and an RBI, while Barber had a homer with three RBI. Kayla Hicks was 2-for-3 on the afternoon.

For USC Aiken, Locklear, King and Warren each had two hits on the day with an RBI. Bossle had a hit with two RBI, while Kellie Hair had a hit on the afternoon.

The Jaguars fell into the losers’ bracket and are back in action tonight at 6:30 p.m. to take on UNC Pembroke in one of the two elimination games being held today at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. (Box)