RALEIGH, N.C. – The Presbyterian College baseball team dropped the second game of its weekend series at No. 5 North Carolina State on Saturday night, falling in an 8-1 result.
PC moves to 23-24 and NC State improves to 36-11. The Blue Hose and Wolfpack play the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Blue Hose took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning before the home side responded with eight straight runs for the win.
Robby Swab (Kernersville, N.C.) and Billy Motroni (Gray Court, S.C.) each picked up a hit on the evening while Brandon Martin (Gray Court, S.C.) posted an RBI via hit-by-pitch.
PC drew first blood in the fourth inning. Swab singled before two outs brought the end of the inning near. Aaron Preston (Goose Creek, S.C.) then drew a walk and a passed ball moved both Preston and Swab over. Brandon Paul (Augusta, Ga.) held off on a 3-1 pitch to earn a free pass to first base and load the bases.
The walk brought up Brandon Martin. The first pitch hit the sophomore and plated Swab, putting PC ahead 1-0 and keeping the bases loaded. The Wolfpack sent in Andrew Woeck from the bullpen and the reliever induced a popout to end the inning with PC in front, 1-0.
NC State grabbed the lead in the bottom of the frame on a two-run home run from Tarran Senay. A fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly ended the inning with NC State ahead by three, 4-1.
A scoreless fifth preceded a three-run sixth from NC State. Trea Turner hit a two-run triple and Jake Fincher followed with an RBI single to extend the team's lead to 7-1. The Wolfpack scored again in the eighth when Logan Ratledge converted a sacrifice fly into the side's eighth and final run.
PC nearly scored in the seventh. Martin drew a walk and stole second with one away. Motroni came through at the plate with a single but the throw from centerfield caught Martin at home and ended the inning.
Chandler Knox (Columbia, S.C.) moved to 4-5 on the year. The junior threw 5.2 innings and struck out four while allowing six earned runs on seven hits. Michael Ricchi (McKinney, Texas) threw a perfect one and one-third innings before Kelly Wright (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) pitched one inning and allowed one unearned run.
Woeck picked up the win for NC State thanks to his three innings of relief work.
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Presbyterian College 000 100 000 - 1 2 3 (23-24)
NC State............ 000 403 01X - 8 11 1 (36-11)
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Pitchers: Presbyterian College - KNOX, Chandler; RICCHI, Michael(6); WRIGHT, Kelly(8) and
SWAB, Robby. NC State - Anthony Tzamtzis; Andrew Woeck(4); Dillon Frye(7); Logan Jernigan(8)
and Brett Austin; John Mangum.
Win-Andrew Woeck(5-1) Loss-KNOX, Chandler(4-5) T-2:44 A-2007
HR ST - Tarran Senay (6).
Weather: 60s, cloudy
