AIKEN, S.C. - The Lynn University baseball team earned a hard-fought road split at USC Aiken on Saturday, claiming a 4-3 victory in the opener before a late rally came up just short in a 6-5 setback in the nightcap. With the split, the Fighting Knights even their record at 5–5, showcasing resilience on both sides of the ball against a tough Pacers squad.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1):
- Lynn wasted no time getting on the board in the opening frame, as Bryant Zayas doubled to left and came home on Scout Simpson's RBI single to give the Fighting Knights a 1-0 lead
- USC Aiken answered in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on traffic and a Lynn throwing error before a two-run single pushed the Pacers in front, 2-1
- Lynn threatened in the third after back-to-back walks, but USC Aiken turned a key defensive play at the plate to escape the inning unscathed
- The Pacers added to their advantage in the fourth, manufacturing a run with a stolen base and a steal of home to extend the margin to 3-1
- The Fighting Knights clawed back in the fifth, using an error and Zayas' RBI triple to cut the deficit to one before Simpson delivered his second RBI single of the game to even the score at 3-3
- USC Aiken put runners on in the bottom of the fifth, but Lynn turned a big defensive stop at third to keep the game tied
- Lynn regained the lead in the seventh as Jackson Tyer crossed the plate on Zayas' sacrifice fly, making it 4-3
- The Fighting Knights' bullpen locked in down the stretch, retiring the side in order in the sixth and stranding runners in the seventh and eighth
- USC Aiken mounted one final threat in the ninth, putting runners in scoring position, but Lynn closed the door with back-to-back fly outs to secure the 4-3 victory.
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS (Game 1):
- Zayas put on a show, going 2-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBI, and two runs scored, including the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning
- Simpson was locked in all afternoon, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI, driving in runs in both the first and fifth innings to keep Lynn within striking distance
- Tyer scored the decisive run, reaching base twice and coming home on Zayas' sac fly to seal the one-run victory
- Ravelo (1-0) was nails out of the bullpen, earning the win after tossing 3.0 shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three to flip the momentum back to Lynn
- Mason Tinsley slammed the door for his second save of the season, working two scoreless innings and stranding three runners in the ninth to preserve the 4-3 win
- The Fighting Knights' pitching staff combined to hold USC Aiken scoreless over the final five innings, limiting the Pacers to just two hits during that stretch
- Lynn showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks, while capitalizing on key moments to overcome a tough road opponent
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2):
- USC Aiken struck first in the opening inning, using a pair of hit batters and a two-run double to jump out to an early 3–0 advantage
- The Pacers added another run in the second with an RBI double to extend the lead to 4-0
- Lynn got on the board in the fourth as Jason Lashley worked a walk and later scored on a wild pitch, trimming the deficit to 4-1
- The Fighting Knights continued to chip away in the sixth when Angel Matos delivered an RBI single to center, scoring Lashley and cutting the margin to 4-2
- Lynn made it a one-run game in the seventh as Bryce Zayas singled home Tyer, pulling the Fighting Knights within 4-3
- The momentum swung in Lynn's favor in the eighth, as Justin Lopez and Zayas delivered back-to-back RBI singles to give the Blue and White their first lead of the game, 5-4
- USC Aiken responded in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game on a solo home run before capitalizing on traffic and a wild pitch to walk it off
- Despite erasing a four-run deficit and seizing a late lead, Lynn's rally came up just short as the Pacers secured a 6-5 victory in the nightcap
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS (Game 2):
- Zayas stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two RBI, delivering clutch run-scoring singles in both the seventh and eighth innings
- Lopez finished 2-for-5 with an RBI, coming through with the game-tying knock during Lynn's two-run eighth inning surge
- Matos was a steady presence in the middle of the order, posting a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI single and a walk
- Lashley sparked multiple rallies, scoring two runs, adding a double, and reaching base twice
- Tyer scored two runs, reached base twice, and crossed the plate in each of Lynn's final two scoring innings
- Lynn totaled 10 hits and erased a four-run deficit, taking a late lead with four unanswered runs from the sixth through eighth innings
- Out of the bullpen, Landon Petrisko and Justyn Hart combined for 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits to keep the Fighting Knights within striking distance
 
UP NEXT:
Lynn closes out its four-game road trip with a showdown in Albany, Ga. as the Fighting Knights take on Albany State on Monday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.