BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ? Cory Lyda had a team-high three hits in Presbyterian College's 7-2 victory over UAB on Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field.
The Blue Hose with the victory improved to 8-17 on the season, while the Blazers dropped to 10-17 on the year with the loss.
Lyda (Simpsonville, S.C.) was 3-for-4 in the game with UAB on Saturday, finishing with two RBIs and one run scored. Lyda is currently in the midst of a six-game hitting streak.
Lyda was one of two to finish with multiple hits for PC. Jared Combs (Pooler, Ga.) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Two Blue Hose had multiple RBIs in the contest with Lyda and Jesse Harmon (Newberry, S.C.) both securing two RBIs in the win.
UAB had three players finish with two hits in the loss with Nick Crawford, Cody McMurry and Austin Taylor all concluding the loss to PC on Saturday with two hits.
UAB scored the first run of the game, but PC scored two in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Lyda picked up the first run of the game for PC when he singled in Combs, who had singled to left field to start the inning.
Robbie Anders (Greenville, S.C.) then sacrificed to left field a couple batters later to bring in Lyda and give PC its first lead of the contest at 2-1.
The two teams would not place any more runs on the scoreboard until the top of the sixth inning when PC placed the game out of reach for UAB with five runs in the frame.
The top of the sixth started with the Blue Hose quickly being forced into two outs, but Steven Henry (Hoschton, Ga.), who was the third batter for PC in the inning, was able to get on base when he doubled to right center.
Harmon then hit his second home run of the year to plate himself and Henry and give PC the lead at 4-1.
A few batters later Zac Rhinesmith (Acworth, Ga.) doubled down the left field line to score William Bolchoz (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), who had been hit by a pitch.
Combs then scored on a passed ball by the UAB pitcher before Lyda doubled down the right field line to bring in Rhinesmith to give PC its final run of the game and make the score 7-1 in their favor.
The Blazers would score one run of their own in the bottom of the sixth, but the Blue Hose relief pitchers held the Blazers scoreless throughout the rest of the game to give PC its first ever win over UAB.
Ben Dollar (Gaffney, S.C.) improved to 2-1 from the hill in the win over UAB. Dollar pitched six and two-thirds of an inning, striking out six. Brandon Wallace took the loss for UAB, allowing eight hits, six runs (five runs) in five and two-thirds of an inning on the mound.
PC and UAB will play a doubleheader tomorrow. First pitch in game one of the two seven-inning games on Sunday is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST.
