WILSON, N.C. – Strong bullpen work and a game-winning RBI
double from Brandon Paul (Augusta, Ga.) lifted the Presbyterian College baseball
team to a 2-1 win over NJIT in 12 innings on Saturday night at Fleming Stadium.
PC moves to 9-6 on the year while NJIT falls to 3-6. The two
sides meet on Sunday for a doubleheader that begins at 11 a.m.
Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 12th, Nate Chong
(Duluth, Ga.) took a pitch off of his back to take first base. Billy Motroni (Goose
Creek, S.C.) bunted Chong over before the Highlanders' Matt Coughlin
intentionally walked Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.).
With two on and one out, Paul ripped a 2-1 pitch to left
field to score Chong and win the game for the Blue Hose.
Three Blue Hose tallied two hits on the day in Paul, Zebedis
and Cam McRae (Darlington, S.C.). McRae went 2-for-2 in a late-game appearance
as a designated hitter.
Michael Ricchi (McKinney, Texas) earned the win for a short
stint of relief that served as part of a stellar bullpen effort. Beau Dees
(Blenheim, S.C.) started and left the contest after five innings of scoreless,
two-hit ball. Tim Corbin (Murrells Inlet, S.C.) pitched two and one-third and
allowed a run while Michael Trebendis (Fayetteville, Ga.) delivered a
dominating effort. The freshman threw four and one-third scoreless innings,
fanning five in the process.
The Blue Hose pitchers allowed only four hits on the day and
struck out 11.
PC drew first blood under odd circumstances in the third inning.
Motroni ripped a two-out single to left field to bring up Zebedis. The junior
then laced a base hit to second and centerfielder Ed Charlton threw to third to
stop the baserunner Motroni. The ball skidded past the NJIT infielders as
Motroni took third and hit the PC dugout, resulting in free bases for the Blue Hose
and a PC run. The play gave PC a 1-0 lead heading into the fourth.
NJIT placed a Highlander 90 feet from paydirt via an error
in the top of the fifth and loaded the bases before Dees struck out Mike
Rampone looking to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Highlanders loaded the bases in vain again the sixth.
Dees hit one and walked another before Corbin entered the game. Another two-out
walk juiced the bases but Corbin induced a flyout to left to keep the shutout
going, 1-0.
NJIT eventually pulled even in the eighth inning. An error
and hit-by-pitch put two on, setting up Scott Brosman for an RBI single. PC
moved a runner to third in the bottom of the frame but could not convert.
Trebendis then shut down the Highlanders. The righthander
retired NJIT in order in the ninth and struck out the side in the 11th.
Trebendis also struck out the first batter of the 12th, followed by
a popout and a walk that brought Ricchi into the game.
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NJIT................ 000 000 010 000
- 1 4
3 (3-6)
Presbyterian College 001 000 000 001
- 2 10 3
(9-6)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: NJIT - DAVIS, Tripp; COUGHLIN, Matt(8) and BROSMAN, Scott.
Presbyterian College -
DEES, Beau; CORBIN, Tim(6); TREBENDIS, Michael(8); RICCHI, Michael(12) and
LONG, Derek.
Win-RICCHI, Michael(1-0) Loss-COUGHLIN,
Matt(1-1) T-3:27 A-77
Weather: High 40s, clear, no wind
DEES, B. faced 2 batters in the 6th.
