NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - A dramatic ninth-inning comeback and Steven Richardson's (Howe, Texas) second straight complete game lifted the Presbyterian College baseball team to a 5-4 win over Charleston Southern in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
PC improves to 21-31 and 6-18 in Big South play while Charleston Southern moves to 27-25 and 14-10.
Down 4-3 heading into the ninth, the Blue Hose sparked a rally to come back and overtake the Buccaneers. Nate Horton (Spartanburg, S.C.) singled to lead off the frame and Aaron Preston (Goose Creek, S.C.) replaced him on the basepaths. Preston came around to score on the game's next play, a sacrifice bunt attempt from Gabe Grammer (Irmo, S.C.) that Buccaneers starting pitcher Jesse Cadenhead overthrew for an unearned run and a new ballgame.
Grammer used another error to reach third base and gave the Blue Hose their first lead since the opening inning by scoring on an Andrew Williams (Augusta, Ga.) single to centerfield. PC lead after the top of the ninth, 5-4.
Charleston Southern threatened in their final at bats, putting two on with two out. Richardson slammed the door, however, getting a flyout to seal the 5-4 Blue Hose win.
Richardson earns his team-leading sixth win with the result, moving to 6-4 on the year. He also pitched a complete game in his last start, a 6-3 win
over Winthrop last Sunday.
Williams and Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.) each drove in a team-high two RBI on the day. Horton also collected two hits as well. Zebedis and Mack Hite (Abbeville, S.C.) both extended their hitting streaks to 10 and nine games, respectively.
PC scored in the first inning for the third time in the series to begin the game, taking a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the frame. Williams drew a leadoff walk and took advantage of a failed pickoff attempt to move to second. Zebedis then drove a single to left field to plate Williams and PC on the scoreboard.
Four hits turned into three runs for the Buccaneers in the second as the home side took a 3-1 lead.
The Blue Hose rallied to tie the game with a two-run fifth inning to even the score at 3-3. Williams blasted a two-out solo home run over the right field fence to pull PC within one. The offense didn't stop there, as Hite singled and scored on Zebedis' second RBI of the day when the freshman doubled to left center. The double tied the game at 3-3.
Charleston Southern took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth, moving ahead, 4-3. The Buccaneers used two singles and an error to put a runner on third who eventually scored on a double play ball.
Two scoreless innings passed to set up the dramatic ninth inning comeback.
PC will stay in the Charleston, S.C. area for Tuesday night's game at College of Charleston. The contest will mark PC's final midweek game of the season and is slated to start at 6 p.m.
