STATESBORO, Ga. ? The Presbyterian College baseball team battled back from an early deficit to take the lead, but was unable to hold on to the lead, falling 10-8 Sunday afternoon in a non-conference contest at Georgia Southern.
The Blue Hose now stand at 0-3 on the season while the Eagles improve to 3-0.
Head coach Elton Pollock's team got things going right away as Jesse Harmon blasted a solo shot to over the right field fence for a quick 1-0 lead.
The hose squad jumped out to a 4-1 advantage after the second frame prior to each team not plating a run in the third.
In the fourth, the Blue Hose bats came alive, accounting for five runs. Jared Combs led off the inning with a single to left before advancing to second on Bobby Cole's groundout. Combs came around to score on Gabe Grammer's single to right field, pushing Nate Horton to third.
After Grammer swiped second, the Eagles intentionally walked Harmon. Trying to pitch too close, GSU hit Zac Rhinesmith with a pitch, which plated Horton from third. Cory Lyda then sliced a single to right, scoring Grammer and Rhinesmith. Lyda was caught stealing, but his rundown allowed Rhinesmith to score, giving Pollock's team a 6-4 lead.
Mitchell Odom was unable to shut the door on the Eagles in the bottom of the fifth as the home squad accounted for two runs on two hits. Stewart Curry came in to relieve Odom and got the Blue Hose out of a jam while ending the frame with the bases loaded.
There was no quit in PC as the team scratched a run in the seventh and eighth frames. In the seventh, Lyda led off with a single to center field. He advanced to second on Kenny Bryant's groundout to first. After a change on the mound, Combs drove home Lyda, who had scampered to third on a wild pitch.
The Blue Hose pulled within two after posting a run in the eighth. With one out, Harmon walked and stole second base.
The Eagles intentionally walked Lyda and the two promptly moved up 90 feet after a wild pitch. Bryant walked, loading the bases and putting the tying run on first. Another wild pitch scored Harmon while the other two moved up to second and third with two outs. However, Combs was unable to help the team knot the score after hitting a pitch hard at the shortstop, ending the frame.
For the game, Lyda went four-for-four with two RBI and a run scored. Harmon was two-for-three with an RBI and three runs scored. Combs and Cole each had two hits while Horton and Grammer each collected one.
Andrew Foushee took the loss for PC as he now stands at 0-1. Foushee tossed three innings while giving up seven runs on five hits. Only five of his runs were earned, however.
The Blue Hose play again Tuesday when they travel to Athens, Ga., for a contest at 2008 College World Series participant Georgia.
