Blue Hose Earn First-Ever Big South Sweep
CHARLESTON, S.C. ? The Presbyterian College baseball team earned two victories Saturday afternoon over Charleston Southern by scores of 5-1 and 8-5 thus earning the program's first-ever sweep over a Big South opponent. PC downed the Bucs 16-13 Friday afternoon in the first game of the series.
The Blue Hose improve to 8-28 on the season and 4-16 against conference competition.
“We showed up all weekend and played hard,” head coach Elton Pollock said. “We've been playing this way on the weekend and we were finally rewarded for our effort. We were able to hang on and get three good wins for our team.”
In the first game of the day, CSU took an early 1-0 lead in the third inning. PC had a chance earlier in the contest to take the lead but failed to do so. In the first, Gabe Grammer and Andrew Williams singled to get things going. The pair moved up a base when Cory Lyda grounded out to the pitcher. However, the next two batters failed to get the ball out of the infield, ending the threat.
It wasn't until the fourth when the Blue Hose had another base runner. Kenny Bryant singled with two out but Jesse Harmon couldn't bring him home.
PC stranded another runner in the sixth. Still trailing 1-0 to begin the seventh, Bryant bashed a solo homer over the wall to knot the score at one apiece.
With the score tied heading into the ninth, Pollock's team got things going in its last at bat. Lyda singled to lead off the inning. He was erased on Jared Combs' fielder's choice. Combs went to third when Bryant singled. Harmon walked to load the bases with just one away.
Patiently, Zac Rhinesmith earned a walk to drive home what turned out to be the game-winning run. Nate Horton's single plated two more before Rhinesmith eventually came home on a wild pitch to make the score 5-1.
Travis McConnell came in to relieve Mitchell Odom in the ninth. He allowed two base runners but was able to force a lazy fly ball to right field to end the game.
Odom got the win. He worked eight innings, giving up just one run on six hits. He also struck out eight.
Bryant finished the game with three hits in four at bats. He drove in one and scored twice. Horton led the way with two RBI.
PC's bats were not quiet for too long in the second game. In the second inning, Bryant doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch. Rhinesmith singled him home for a 1-0 lead. The Blue Hose tacked on another run in the third as Tony Micklon scored on a wild pitch. He had led off the frame with a single before moving to second on an error. Micklon advanced to third on Williams' single.
Holding on to a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth, Lyda blasted a two-run homer for a 4-1 advantage. He drove home Mack Hite, who had reached on an error.
The Bucs plated a run in the seventh and two in the eighth to take a 5-4 lead heading into the ninth frame. The Blue Hose wanted the sweep and forced extra innings by being hot at the right time.
Horton doubled to lead off the inning. Jeffrey Tatum pinch ran for him. He was erased on Harmon's fielder's choice. With one away, Grammer singled to put runners on the corners. Williams' deep fly to left field was good enough to tie the game. PC could not muster another run as Grammer was picked off first base to end the inning.
After Chris Powell shut down the home squad in the ninth the teams went into extra innings all tied at 5-5.
Hite singled and scored when Lyda launched his second two-run bomb of the afternoon. Up 7-5, Combs added an insurance run when he belted a homer for a three-run lead.
It was more than enough for Grammer, who came in to sink the Bucs. Grammer gave up one hit in the 10th but held the team scoreless en route to his first career save.
Powell tossed 1.2 innings to get the win. Harmon started the game off, throwing 6.2 frames. Stewart Curry and McConnell each saw time on the mound for PC.
Horton led the way with three hits. Bryant, Lyda and Williams all had two. Lyda drove in four while scoring twice. Hite also crossed home two times.
The Blue Hose return to action Tuesday when they play host to Wofford at 3 p.m.
