NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College baseball team dropped a 17-5 decision to 13th-ranked USC Aiken at the Smith Road Complex on Wednesday. The Indians drop to 15-22 with the loss, while the Pacers are now 29-8.

The Pacers got on the board first, as the first three batters of the game scored. But Phillip Bartz (LaCrescent, Minn.) cut into the lead as he scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-1 after one inning.

Newberry took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. C.J. Tyrkala (Palm Harbor, Fla.) scored on a wild pitch, followed by unearned runs by Bartz and Jovan Rohena (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico).

But USCA took the lead for good in the top of the sixth and kept its foot on the gas. The Pacers' offensive surge was highlighted by a homerun from Chad Jacobsen and a ninth inning grand slam from Gary Owens. Owens finished with six runs batted in.

Ernie Castellano (Homestead, Fla.; 2-1) picked up the loss after giving up two runs - one earned - in 5.2 innings of relief.

The Indians will look to rebound this weekend in a crucial South Atlantic Conference series against Lenoir-Rhyne, with the Friday game beginning at 7 p.m.