SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Presbyterian College baseball team turned in an all-around stellar effort against the Wofford Terriers on Wednesday night, allowing only one hit while putting four runs on the scoreboard for a 4-0 victory.
The win gives PC a 16-9 record on the year, setting a new Division I record for the program. Wofford falls to 14-12. The result also hands the season series to the Blue Hose, 2-1.
Steven Richardson (Howe, Texas) got the start for PC and dazzled in six and one-third innings of work. The junior kept the Terrier offense silent, surrendering only one hit and striking out four en route to picking up his third win of the year.
Chandler Knox (Columbia,S.C.) finished off the Terriers after entering in the eighth to secure his third save of the year. Knox allowed zero hits, as did reliever Nick Ferguson (Lancaster, S.C.) in his one-inning appearance.
Gabe Grammer (Irmo, S.C.) enjoyed a successful day at the plate, going 2-for-3 and driving in a run. Tony Micklon (Sumter, S.C.) also touched home twice for a pair of runs and tallied the game's only home run.
Andrew Williams (Augusta, Ga.) extended his hitting streak to five games, currently the longest on the team. The sophomore recorded three hits and an RBI in the win.
The Blue Hose drew first blood by scoring the first run of the game in the second inning. Staring at two outs, Grammer smacked a single to left field to drive Micklon home from second base, giving PC a 1-0 lead.
Richardson cruised through the first four innings before encountering his only trouble in the bottom of the fifth. The Terriers took advantage of a hit batter and a walk to eventually put runners on the second and third. Richardson escaped the jam after putting two away, however, forcing second baseman Alex Lee to pop up on a 2-2 count and end the inning with no damage to the PC lead.
Micklon extended the Blue Hose lead in the top of the sixth on his team-leading seventh home run of the season, a solo no-doubter over the 12-foot left field wall to put PC up, 2-0.
The PC nine tacked on another run in the seventh as the visitors' bats stayed hot. Grammer knocked a leadoff single to left and moved to second on a Ryan Burt (Cayce, S.C.) full-count single to the same spot. Williams then picked up his 17th RBI of 2011 by taking a Ryan Traylor offering into the outfield and bringing Grammer home, adding one more run for a 3-0 Blue Hose advantage.
PC loaded the bases with one out in the eighth but proved unable to convert as the third Wofford pitcher of the inning held the Blue Hose scoreless.
An insurance run in the ninth gave Knox some extra breathing room on the mound. Williams ripped a line drive down the right field line and sped to a triple before Mack Hite (Abbeville,S.C.) brought him in with a single up to right center. PC held a 4-0 lead on the score. Kenny Bryant (Goose Creek, S.C.) singled to put another runner on, but the runs already scored would be enough for the inning and the win.
The Blue Hose return home for a three-game Big South series against Radford this weekend. The series kicks off on Friday at 3 p.m.
