CLINTON, S.C. - The Presbyterian College baseball team took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning in its Saturday matchup against UNC Asheville, but five late Bulldog runs helped the visitors to the win at the PC Baseball Complex, 5-3.
PC moves to 11-18 on the year and 1-7 in Big South Conference play. UNC Asheville improves to 13-15 overall and 4-4 in league action.
The Blue Hose held a 3-0 lead after scoring in the third and fourth innings. UNC Asheville tied the game in the seventh and added two in the ninth for the win.
Chandler Knox (Columbia, S.C.) turned in a memorable performance in a no-decision effort. The sophomore pitched six and two thirds innings, allowing three runs and striking out four. All three runs came in the seventh inning. Michael Ricchi (McKinney, Texas) took the loss despite not allowing a hit, as he walked the eventual winning run in his one and two-thirds inning of play.
Ethan Steible earned the win for Asheville in relief while Brian Connolly earned the save.
Billy Motroni (Goose Creek, S.C.) went 3-for-5 on the day to lead all players in hits. Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.) picked up two RBI while Tony Micklon (Sumter, S.C.) drove in the other. Gabe Grammer (Irmo, S.C.) hit in his eighth straight game, tying Andrew Williams (Augusta, Ga.) for the team's longest hitting sreak this season.
Jordan Lurie went 2-for-4 for Asheville, tallying three RBI.
PC struck early thanks to a Zebedis RBI double. With two outs in the third inning, Grammer and Motroni both pounded out hits to set up Zebebis' two-bagger. The sophomore smacked the first pitch he saw down the left field line to give PC a 2-0 lead.
Micklon extended the Blue Hose advantage in the fourth. Nate Chong (Duluth, Ga.) poked a leadoff single through the left side and took second on a Brandon Paul (Augusta, Ga.) sacrifice bunt. Micklon slapped an opposite-field double and brought in Chong to put PC up by three.
PC kept the Bulldogs scoreless in the fifth on a bang-bang play for the second out. Aaron Wright rounded third headed for home on a hit to right field by Patrick Koontz, but a throw from Micklon helped to bag a runner at home for the second straight game. Micklon's throw found Williams at second, who threw to Zebedis at home. Zebedis blocked the plate and tagged Wright, keeping the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.
Asheville answered in the seventh, using four hits and an error to pull even. Three hits came with two outs in the inning and a Jordan Lurie two-RBI double to center field made the score 3-3.
In the top of the ninth, the Bulldogs turned two hits into a pair of runs. Asheville manufactured a run after a leadoff walk before adding an insurance run on a Thomas Bess single, one of his two RBI on the day. Asheville held on for the win, 5-3.
The two sides meet in the series finale on Sunday at the PC Baseball Complex. The first pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
UNC Asheville 5, Presbyterian College 3 (Mar 31, 2012 at Clinton, S.C.)
-----------------------------------------------------------
UNC Asheville....... 000 000 302 - 5 11 2 (13-15, 4-4 BSC)
Presbyterian College 002 100 000 - 3 11 3 (11-18, 1-7 BSC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNC Asheville - ROLAND, Dean; STEIBLE, Ethan(7); SPRACKLIN, Adam(9);
CONNOLLY, Brian(9) and GRAHAM, Ian. Presbyterian College - KNOX, Chandler; RICCHI, Michael(7);
NODELMAN, Matt(9); SANDERS, Chad(9) and ZEBEDIS, Brad.
Win-STEIBLE, Ethan(1-1) Save-CONNOLLY, Brian(1) Loss-RICCHI, Michael(0-2) T-2:46 A-188
Weather: Low-70s, wind W 5 mph
