AIKEN, S.C. - The Lynn University baseball team showed resilience late, but an early surge by USC Aiken proved too much to overcome as the Fighting Knights fell 16-3 on Friday afternoon. With the loss, Lynn moves to 4-4 on the season as the Blue and White look to regroup heading into Saturday's doubleheader to close out the three-game set
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lynn opened the afternoon with an early extra-base hit as Bryant Zayas doubled to center in the first inning, but the rally was cut short by a pickoff and the Fighting Knights stranded one
- Ivan Herrera recorded a single in the second, while Bryant Zayas and Scout Simpson worked walks in the third, yet Lynn was unable to capitalize in the early frames
- On the mound, Lynn's defense turned a sharp 6-4-3 double play in the first to erase a leadoff walk and keep the game scoreless through two innings
- USC Aiken broke through in the bottom of the third, using a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base, and a pair of RBI hits to grab a 2-0 lead
- The Pacers added two more in the fourth, taking advantage of walks and a fielding error to stretch the margin to 4-0
- Lynn's best chance to answer came in the fourth when Willie Kimbler ripped a double down the right-field line, but the Fighting Knights were unable to bring him home
- USC Aiken created separation in the sixth, stringing together five hits, aggressive baserunning, and capitalizing on miscues to plate six runs and push the lead to 10-0
- The Pacers continued the momentum in the seventh with another six-run inning fueled by timely RBI singles and pressure on the basepaths, extending the advantage to 16-0
- Lynn broke up the shutout in the eighth as Jackson Tyer launched a solo home run to get the Fighting Knights on the board
- The Blue and White showed late fight in the ninth, loading the bases on singles from Jason Lashley, Luca Arenado, and Joel Tapia-Melo, while Cole Beck drew an RBI walk and Nick Petrelli added a run-scoring groundout to account for the final 16-3 scoreline
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Tyer went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, scoring one run and driving in one
- Lashley finished 1-for-4 with a run scored
- Zayas went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk
- Kimbler recorded a double, going 1-for-3 at the plate
- Arenado provided a spark off the bench, going 1-for-1 with a run scored
- Herrera finished 1-for-2 with a walk
- Tapia-Melo added a pinch-hit single in the ninth
- Beck drew a walk and drove in a run
- Petrelli recorded an RBI on a pinch-hit groundout
- Lynn tallied 7 hits and drew 5 walks
- The Fighting Knights turned two double plays defensively
- Ryan DiMaggio made the start on the mound, tossing 3.0 innings while allowing four runs (three earned) with three walks and one strikeout in the outing
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights close out their three-game series with USC Aiken on Saturday with an afternoon doubleheader set to kick off at 2 pm.