On a day that honored six Blue Hose seniors, two PC seniors
delivered big performances. Mack Hite (Abbeville, S.C.) went three-for-four and crossed
the plate twice while Nate Horton (Spartanburg, S.C.) also tallied three hits
and drove in two runs.
Gabe Grammer (Irmo, S.C.) also drove in two RBI.
Chandler Knox (Columbia, S.C.) received the loss, moving to
3-4 after giving up four runs in three innings of relief. Matt Pierpont earned the
win for Winthrop and Eric Ruth picked up a save.
Designated hitter Brett Thomas drove in a game-high four runs
to lead the Eagles.
Prior the start of the game, PC honored seniors Hite, Norton, Alex Loftin (Denver, N.C.), Carl Della Torre III (Watkinsville, Ga.), Rodney Scruggs (Harlem, Ga.) and Drew Wingo (Simpsonville, S.C.).
Trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth, PC mounted a rally
that fell short by one run.
Winthrop called on its closer Ruth to enter the game in the
ninth but the righthander quickly ran into trouble, hitting two batters after picking
up the first out. One flyout later, Grammer sent the second pitch he saw into
right field to score one and make Kenny Bryant (Goose Creek, S.C.) the winning
run at the plate. Bryant worked the count full and sent a screamer to second
base, but Winthrop second baseman Tyler Hill took a stab and beat a streaking
Bryant at first to end the game.
Winthrop began the game by loading the bases with nobody out
but managed only one run thanks to a combination of starter Buck Mosteller's
(Woodruff, S.C.) pitching and the PC defense. Mosteller threw three straight strikes
after falling behind in the count, 3-0, and Horton gunned down Eddie Rohan
trying to steal second on a strike 'em out, throw 'em out to end the inning.
The Blue Hose answered Winthrop's run with one of their one
in the bottom of the first. Hite reached first on a hit-by-pitch and Brad Zebedis
(Rock Hill, S.C.) looped a single to center to put two aboard. Down to PC's
final out and staring at a full count, Horton poked the payoff pitch through
the right side to score Hite and even up the score, 1-1.
In the bottom of the third, the PC offense came alive to
post four runs and retake the lead. The Hite-Zebedis combination struck again to
begin the rally, as Hite singled to center and Zebedis fisted a 2-2 pitch to
left center on a hit-and-run to put runners on the corners with one away.
PC loaded the bases one batter later after Tony Micklon (Sumter,
S.C.) drew a full-count walk to pack the bags full of Blue Hose. An errant
pickoff throw from Lake allowed Hite to score the first run of the inning and
give the home side a 2-1 lead. Horton would deliver his second RBI of the day,
smacking a 1-1 offering to right center to drive in Zebedis and push the PC
lead to 3-1.
Grammer drove a deep fly ball to center field to plate
Micklon and Bryant completed the rally with a deep double to score Horton from
first as the Blue Hose exited the third with a 5-1 advantage.
Winthrop cut into the PC lead with a solo Brett Thomas home
run to left center in the fourth, making
the score 5-2.
The Eagles loaded the bases again in the top of the fifth
but scored only one run, due in part to a Mosteller strikeout to secure out
number two.
The Blue Hose turned to their closer, Chandler Knox, in the seventh
inning. The freshman managed to end the inning with the bases loaded but not
before the Eagles picked up four runs on four hits to take a 7-5 lead.
PC returns for the final game of the series and the team's
final home game of the season tomorrow at 1 p.m.
