Jul. 2—AIKEN — The Aiken Baseball Club AAA used a strong middle-inning surge and timely defense to secure a 7-5 victory over Batesburg-Leesville on Tuesday night at South Aiken High School.
Around 100 fans gathered for the 7 p.m. matchup. Despite temperatures near 90 degrees, both teams brought early energy to the field, setting the tone for a competitive contest.
Aiken made a statement on the very first play of the game. Pitcher Kingston Sweetnam fired a fastball down the middle, and the batter sent a sharp line drive screaming back toward the mound. Sweetnam reacted instantly, ******* ing the ball out of the air for the first out of the night. The play drew immediate cheers from the crowd and gave Aiken an early spark.
Both teams battled through the opening innings with solid pitching and defensive stops, but Aiken began to separate itself in the third inning. Taking advantage of defensive gaps from Batesburg-Leesville, Aiken's hitters found open ******* e across the field and kept pressure on the bases.
That offensive momentum turned into a breakout inning as Aiken piled on five runs in the third. Consistent contact, aggressive baserunning and timely hitting allowed the home side to take control and build a comfortable lead.