KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – An offensive explosion and another strong
pitching performance from Steven Richardson (Howe, Texas) led the Presbyterian College
baseball team to a Tuesday evening road win over the Tennessee Volunteers, 10-6.
PC improves its record to 18-11, while Tennessee falls to
19-10. The win marks the 10th straight non-conference victory for
the Blue Hose and the first against the Volunteers.
Richardson produced another masterful outing, scattering five
hits and three runs—two earned—while striking out five over eight innings of work in his longest
appearance of the season. The lefthander produced four 1-2-3 innings on the
night en route to his fourth win of the year, boosting his record to 4-2.
Tony Micklon (Sumter, S.C.) blasted his eighth home run of
the year to tie Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.) for the team and Big South
Conference lead. The junior posted two hits and four RBI on the evening.
Gabe Grammer (Irmo, S.C.) went a
perfect 4-for-4 at the plate against the Volunteers while crossing the
plate twice. Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.) turned two doubles and a single into
a run batted in and three runs, and Nate Horton (Spartanburg, S.C.) chipped in with two hits
and an RBI as well.
A four-run eighth inning proved to be the difference as the
Blue Hose hung four on Tennessee thanks to Micklon's home run.
The Blue Hose offense showed some pop in the second inning,
tagging Tennessee starter Jon Reed for back-to-back hits on two-out singles up
the middle from Grammer and Hill. One out stranded both runners, however, and
the game stayed scoreless.
A two-run third inning put PC on the board and gave the Blue
Hose an early lead. Mack Hite (Abbeville, S.C.) began the rally thanks to
shortshop Zach Osborne's throw that pulled first baseman Josh Liles off of the
bag, a throwing error that allowed the senior to narrowly reach first.
Zebedis then lifted the next pitch to deep left center for a
double, bringing Mack home from first and giving the Blue Hose their first run
of the game. Zebedis touched home plate two batters later as Micklon smacked a double off of the left field wall to make the score
2-0 in favor of the visitors.
Tennessee cut the PC lead by one in the bottom of the frame.
A Chris Fritts triple put one aboard and an ensuing groundout plated Fritts,
shrinking the Blue Hose lead to 2-1.
PC offered a textbook definition of a manufactured run in
the fourth. Tennessee sent freshman righthander Carter Watson to the mound and Grammer
looped the second pitch Watson threw to left field for PC's fifth hit of the
day and a leadoff single. A sacrifice bunt and groundout moved Grammer to
third, where a Watson balk brought Grammer trotting home to extend the Blue
Hose lead back to two, 3-1.
In the top of the fifth, Zebedis recorded his second double
of the game by nearly clearing the left field wall. He ended the inning
standing on third, however, as the lead stayed at two.
The Blue Hose converted two more runs in the sixth as the
offense kept rolling. Horton began the proceedings by knocking a full-count
single to left center. A wild pitch to Grammer sent Horton to second and became
part of an eventual walk for the junior. Tyler Hill (Goose Creek, S.C.) drew
another walk to load the bases before John Wagner (Olney, Md.) grounded into a
run-scoring double play, pushing PC's advantage to 4-1.
Andrew Williams (Augusta, Ga.) added one more run before the
end of the frame with a sharp line drive through the right side, past a diving
second baseman and away from a scoring Grammer. The single extended Williams'
hitting streak to nine games, currently the longest on the squad. PC would take
the 5-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
The Volunteers found another run in the sixth, moving a
leadoff a single around the bases via a stolen base and groundouts to narrow
the gap, 5-2.
PC threatened again in the seventh and turned baserunners
into a run. Zebedis took the second pitch he saw on the shoulder to reach first
base, eventually moving to third by way of a passed ball and wild pitch. With
one away and Micklon aboard after being plunked by ball four, Horton sent a
line drive up the middle to convert the run that restored the Blue Hose lead to
four.
A Grammer base hit nearly scored Micklon, but a close play
at the plate kept PC from its seventh run and left the advantage at 6-2.
The Blue Hose refused to stop there. With two away in the
seventh, Zebedis kicked off another rally with a single through the left side
and two more walks loaded the bases full of Blue Hose. Zebedis took advantage
of a passed ball and scored to make the score 7-2.
Micklon then sent a Volunteer offering into the Knoxville
night for a three-run home run over the left field fence, giving PC its biggest
lead of the night with a 10-2 score.
Tennessee found a run in the eighth but Richardson would
limit the damage to the lone score at 10-3.
Nick Ferguson (Lancaster, S.C.) entered the game to pitch in the
ninth and gave up two runs before Chandler Knox (Columbia, S.C.) secured the
final two outs while allowing one run and sealing the 10-6 win.
The Blue Hose hit the road again tomorrow for a 6 p.m.
matchup against the Furman Paladins in Greenville, S.C.
