CLINTON, S.C.- Zac Rhinesmith had a game-high four hits for Presbyterian College, but it was not enough as Marist (N.Y.) College defeated the Blue Hose 15-13 on Saturday afternoon at the PC Baseball Complex.
The loss ends a string of back-to-back victories for PC, who are now 3-3 overall, while the Red Foxes obtained their first victory of the season with the win to stand at 1-4.
Four Blue Hose hitters ended with multiple hits in the game led by Rhinesmith (Acworth, Ga.), who was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBIs, three doubles and three runs scored. Robbie Anders (Greenville, S.C.) from the nine-hole position was 3-for-5 with one RBI.
Steven Henry (Hoschton, Ga.) connected on two of his four attempts at the plate to end his day with two RBIs and two runs. Jesse Harmon (Newberry, S.C.) ended his day with a 2-for-5 performance from the plate that included a double.
Andrew Cockerham (Millers Creek, N.C.) fell in defeat for PC, moving to 0-1 on the season. Cockerham was one of four Blue Hose pitchers to toe the rubber along with starter Ben Dollar (Gaffney, S.C.), Eric Tatum (Buford, Ga.) and Harmon. Combined the Blue Hose pitchers allowed 12 earned runs on 10 hits while striking out seven Marist hitters.
The Red Foxes built a 5-0 lead in the second inning that came on home runs by Bryce Nugent and Kyle Meyer.
The Marist lead had reached to 9-3 with the Blue Hose coming to bat in the bottom of the fifth.
Craven originally got things going in the inning for PC when he was struck out, but he then reached on a wild pitch. He moved to second on a single to left field by Henry. Jared Combs then drove a Tom Close pitch over the centerfield wall for a three-run home run and a 9-6 Marist lead.
Rhinesmith connected on the fourth hit of the inning shortly thereafter with a single up the middle followed by Anders who kept the inning alive with a bunt single down the third base line. Close loaded the bases for PC by hitting Harmon on the pitch before Cory Lyda (Simpsonville, S.C.) plated the game-tying runs on a single to right field.
The score 9-9, the Red Foxes added a combined six runs over the next three innings that stretched the lead to 15-10 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. PC rallied to score three runs in the bottom half of the final stanza on a two-out double down the left field line by Kyle Craven (Savannah, Ga.) that cleared the bases.
PC and Marist will vie for the series in the finale of the three-game set at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.
