KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ? For the second consecutive game the Presbyterian College baseball team fell in the 10th inning to an SEC opponent with their 8-7 loss to the University of Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Overall, it was PC's third consecutive extra-inning affair. The loss dropped PC to 5-7 on the season, while the Volunteers improved to 9-4 on the season with the victory.
Vols sophomore Tanner Moore delivered a walk-off RBI double that scored Jeff Lockwood to allow UT to collect their fifth straight victory. Tennessee's Shawn Griffin drove in three runs on the day, and junior Aaron Everett notched the win out of the bullpen to improve to 1-1 on the season.
Steven Henry (Hoschton, Ga.) led the Blue Hose offensive attack in the game. Henry was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate on Wednesday. He was one of three in the game to finish a perfect 4-for-4. Tennessee outfielders Griffin and Kentrail Davis led the Vols in the win as each turned in 4-for-4 performances at the dish.
Nate Horton (Spartanburg, S.C.) was 2-for-4 with one RBI for PC in the game.
Tennessee third baseman Cody Brown drove in second baseman Andy Simunic?one of three runs on the day for Simunic?with an RBI fielder's choice in the bottom of the first inning to open the day's scoring. The Vols loaded the bases against Blue Hose starting pitcher Ben Dollar (Gaffney, S.C.) with one out later in the frame, and Lockwood then plated Brown with an RBI sacrifice fly.
A PC infield throwing error and a balk enabled the Vols to plate two more runs in the first, bringing the score to 4-0 after one full inning of action.
Griffin pushed Tennessee's lead to 5-0 with an RBI base hit in the second inning.
Tennessee's early-season fielding demons resurfaced in the top of the fourth inning as three UT fielding errors allowed the Blue Hose to score a pair of unearned runs and make it a three-run game.
The Blue Hose later took advantage of a pair of hit batsmen in the top of the fifth as both runners eventually scored via an RBI groundout and a wild pitch. With their second of three straight two-run innings, the Blue Hose cut Tennessee's lead to a single run, 5-4.
After the Vols went down in order in the bottom of the fifth, PC third baseman Jared Combs (Pooler, Ga.) led off the top of the sixth with a game-tying solo homer?his second of the season.
A host of UT relievers struggled to sit down the Blue Hose batters as the inning progressed, and designated hitter Nate Horton (Spartanburg, S.C.) came through with a bases-loaded, RBI single to give PC its first lead of the afternoon at 6-5.
The Vols lineup awakened in the bottom of the seventh, converting three hits into two runs to reclaim their lead, 7-6. Simunic and Davis led off the frame with consecutive base hits, and both were moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Brown. Griffin then dropped the go-ahead, two-run single into shallow right-center, driving in his second and third runs of the game.
A leadoff double by Horton in the top of the ninth gave PC the potential tying run on base, and pinch runner Preston Simpson (Lancaster, S.C.) was promptly moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Casey Carlson (Lexington, S.C.). Then with one out, Henry provided a game-tying RBI single that drove in Simpson.
PC catcher Drew Wingo (Simpsonville, S.C.) followed Henry's big hit with a double and the Vols then opted to intentionally walk Combs?loading the bases with one out.
That set the stage for UT right fielder Josh Liles' heroics. PC second baseman Robbie Anders (Greenville, S.C.) sent what looked like a potential go-ahead sacrifice fly into right field, but Liles made the catch and fired a missile of a throw that arrived to Vols catcher Yan Gomes just in time for Gomes to tag Henry out at the plate.
The drama continued into the bottom of the ninth inning. Tennessee loaded the bases with one out, but Blue Hose reliever Zach Snipes (Belton, S.C.) induced a crucial double-play ball that forced extra innings.
Entering the 10th, both teams had seven runs on 11 hits.
Everett sat down the Blue Hose in order in the top of the 10th, with Tennessee's Nos. 6-8 hitters set to bat in the bottom of the inning. Lockwood led off with a base hit before scoring on Moore's one-out double.
Snipes took the loss for PC.
The Blue Hose next play in the Centex Homes Invitational in Conway, S.C. The Blue Hose will open the tournament with a game against the Big 10's Michigan at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 14. They will then close out the tournament with two games against the MAC's Ball State.
The Blue Hose will first play Ball State at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. They will then close out their weekend by squaring off against Ball State at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 16.
