ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. | Michael Livingston tossed a complete-game two hitter as Young Harris College dominated No. 26-ranked University of South Carolina-Aiken 3-0 Friday (May 11) evening in the pool play opener for both teams at  the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament at Drysdale Field.

The No. 7 seeded Mountain Lions improved to 26-22 overall and to 1-0 in Pool B, while the No. 2 seeded Pacers fell 33-18 and 0-1. Young Harris will close out pool play with two games Saturday (May 12). YHC will face No. 6 seed and tournament host Flagler College at 10 a.m., followed by an 8:30 p.m. contest against No. 3 seed Columbus State University. Columbus State, which is ranked No. 10 nationally, defeated Flagler 2-0 earlier Friday.

The two-time All-Peach Belt performer was masterful against the Pacers. Livingston (6-3) struck out nine, while walking two and allowing two hits.  Livingston only allowed two runners to reach third base the entire game. He didn't allow a base runner until the fourth when Jose Bonilla led off with a single to left and moved to second on a wild pitch. Bonilla moved to third on a ground out, but was left stranded at third base after he coaxed a fly ball to end the threat.

The Pacers got a runner on base in the sixth as Chandler Rogers reached on a walk. Rogers stole second and moved to third on a ground out, but Livingston got a fly ball to end the USCA rally.  An inning later Brian Parreira led off with a walk and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt, but Livingston extinguished the threat as he got the next two batters to strike out.

The only other USCA runner to reach was Philip Watcher, who led off the eighth with a single to right in the eighth, but he was quickly erased when Brady O'Neil grounded into a double play.

The Mountain Lions, who smacked eight hits, finally was able to break through offensively in the top of the eighth. Corley Reynolds started the rally with a one-out single through the left side and moved to second when Brett Graczyk followed with a single to center. After USC Aiken starter Mitch Spence (7-5) got the next batter to strikeout, Skylor Murphy took a 2-1 offering and tripled down the right field line to score both runners and give the Mountain Lions a 2-0 lead.

Young Harris added an insurance unearned run in the ninth. Rudy Gaona and Tristin Smith each reached on a walk before Reynolds singled  off the pitcher's foot and was deflected to the USCA shortstop, who threw the ball away trying to get Reynolds out at first base. The errant throw allowed Gaona to score the insurance run.

Murphy and Reynolds had two hits apiece for the Mountain Lions, with Murphy's triple the lone extra-base hit by either team. Logan Worley, Gaona, Tyler Washington and Graczyk had one hit each for YHC.