ASHEVILLE, N.C. ? Despite Gabe Grammer and Zac Rhinesmith each going 5-5 at the plate, the Presbyterian College baseball team lost a 19-14 decision to UNC Asheville Thursday afternoon.

The Blue Hose now stand at 11-38 on the year and 5-19 in Big South Conference play. The Bulldogs improve to 9-40 overall and 5-19 against league competition.

Grammer drove in four runs while scoring twice. Rhinesmith did not have one RBI, but crossed home a career-high five times. Nate Horton, Cory Lyda, Mack Hite and Andrew Williams all tallied two hits apiece. Jared Combs, Jesse Harmon and Kenny Bryant all had one base knock.

Combs drove in three runs while Lyda, Horton and Williams had two apiece.

Trailing 2-0 after the first inning, Horton got the Blue Hose on the scoreboard in the second when he smashed a home run over the right field fence. Two batters later, Grammer singled home Rhinesmith, who had singled to right field, tying the score.

Asheville added a run in the second and five in the third, taking an 8-2 lead into the fourth. That's when head coach Elton Pollock's team started to battle back.

Horton doubled home Bryant, who had reached on a single. Grammer singled home Horton, pulling the team within four, 8-4. Williams then doubled home Rhinesmith to make the score 8-5.

After a scoreless fifth, PC's bats came to life in the sixth. With one down, Rhinesmith singled back up the middle and moved to second on Grammer's infield single. Williams reached on a throwing error that allowed Rhinesmith to score.

Hite walked to load the bases for Lyda, who promptly singled to right, driving home Williams and Grammer. That forced a pitching change, which did not prove to be the smartest of moves as Combs strode to the plate and launched a three-run home run high over the left field fence to make the score 11-8 in favor of the visitors.

The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the sixth but the Blue Hose continued to make solid contact with the ball in the seventh.

Rhinesmith reached on a bunt and quickly came home as Grammer tripled to center field, breaking the tie. Williams reached on a fielder's choice, driving home Grammer. That put PC up two, 13-11.

The lead did not last long as Asheville scored four in its at bat for a 15-13 advantage.

Rhinesmith and Grammer teamed up in the eighth to pull the Blue Hose within one, 15-14. Rhinesmith doubled to center and came home on Grammer's single through the left side. However, PC was unable to score any more runs in the contest as the Bulldogs scored four in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.

Joe Hammond started the game and lasted just 2.1 innings. He gave up eight runs on 10 hits. Chris Powell tossed 2.2 innings, giving up just one hit.

Andrew Foushee (1-7) took the loss as he gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in 1.1 innings. Travis McConnell allowed four runs on four hits in two-thirds of a frame. Stewart Curry went two-thirds of an inning without giving up a hit and Jordan Pace recorded one out against the only batter he faced.

The teams will battle tomorrow at 3 p.m., in the middle game of the three-game set.