CLEMSON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College baseball team hoped
to go a perfect 2-0 over in-state foe Clemson as the Blue Hose faced off
against the Tigers Tuesday night, but two runs for the visitors weren't enough
as PC fell, 7-2.
PC moves to 18-16 on the year. Clemson improves to 19-13.
Tony Micklon (Sumter, S.C.) and Nate Horton (Spartanburg,
S.C.) each drove in a run and Gabe Grammer (Irmo, S.C.) picked up a hit and a
run.
Andrew Williams (Augusta, Ga.) saw his 2011-leading 13-game
hitting streak end but the sophomore shortstop did cross the plate for a run.
Clemson packed all of its scoring into the middle innings,
following up a five-run fourth with solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
The Blue Hose ran into trouble against Clemson starting pitcher Justin Sarratt,
who earned his second win by going seven innings and allowing two runs on four
hits.
PC lefthander Steven Richardson (Howe, Texas) went five
innings and took his third loss of the year for a 4-3 record.
The Blue Hose began their work quickly, scoring one run in
the top of the first. Williams led off by sending a chopper to third base that gave
him two bases on a throwing error, eventually moving to third on a Mack Hite (Abbeville, S.C.) infield
single.
Zebedis took the place of Hite on first via a fielder's
choice but couldn't get back to the base on a pickoff attempt and left Williams
as the sole baserunner with two outs remaining. Micklon took eight pitches and
worked the count before sending a deep fly ball to left center that found the
top of the wall for an RBI double and handed PC its lead after the top of the
frame, 1-0.
Grammer nearly led off the second with a home run to left
field only to see outfielder Jeff Schaus make a leaping catch at the wall to
take the solo shot away.
Clemson posted five runs in the bottom of fourth to take the
lead. First baseman Richie Shaffer tied the game on a leadoff home run before
the Tigers turned four hits and a walk into four more runs, leaving the inning with
a 5-1 lead.
The Tigers manufactured another run in the fifth to extend
their lead to 6-1 as Will Lamb crossed the plate after singling with two outs.
A John Hinson leadoff home run in the sixth off of reliever
Chad White (Suwanee, Ga.) made the score 7-1
Junior righthander Matt Nodelman (Columbia, S.C.) offered an
impressive outing when he entered the game in the seventh inning. Nodelman
forced a flyout and struck out the final two batters for a 1-2-3 inning.
The Blue Hose kicked off a short rally in the eighth to
score one run and cut the Clemson lead to five. Grammer began by drawing a
full-count walk and came home when Horton smacked the second pitch he saw to
deep left center for a stand-up RBI double.
The Tigers pulled Sarratt in favor of David Haselden but the
rally appeared to continue as Tyler Hill (Goose Creek, S.C.) sent Haselden's
first pitch past the diving third baseman Hinson for a single to move Horton to
third. Unfortunately for the Blue Hose, PC could not find another hit in the frame
and the inning ended with Clemson ahead, 7-2.
The Blue Hose return for a Big South weekend series on the
road in Lynchburg, Va., for a three-game set against the Liberty Flames. The
series kicks off on Friday at 7 p.m.
