SPARTANBURG, S.C. – A late-game rally fell one run short as the Presbyterian College baseball team dropped its weekend finale at Wofford on Sunday evening, 8-7.
PC moves to 4-2-1 on the season and next plays at Clemson on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Wofford improves to 4-3.
Despite trailing 8-2 after seven innings, the Blue Hose scored five runs to pull within one run.
Jay Lizanich (Greer, S.C.) and Brad Zebedis (Rock Hill, S.C.) each posted two RBI. Brandon Paul (Augusta, Ga.) and Brandon Martin (Gray Court, S.C.) led PC with two hits each.
Freshman starter Hayden Deal (Newton, N.C.) pitched well but took the loss. The freshman went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (only one earned) and surrendered five hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
A slick defensive play helped keep Wofford scoreless in the second, as a Midkiff-Motroni-Zebedis 5-4-3 double play brought the inning one out away from ending.
PC broke through in the top of the third. A leadoff single from Derek Long (Alpharetta, Ga.) put one aboard. Nathan Chong (Duluth, Ga.) attempted to bunt him over on a sacrifice, but the pitcher's throw to first sailed wide and put Long on third and Chong on second. One out later, Zebedis drove in Long on a groundout before Chong scored on an error in the next at-bat to give the Blue Hose a 2-0 lead.
Wofford would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. A PC error opened the inning and allowed the leadoff man to take second. A pair of singles followed to score one before a fielder's choice brought in one more and tied the game, 2-2.
The Terriers took their first lead in the next inning. A runner that reached on a fielder's choice made it to second on a hit-by-pitch, and scored on PC's second error of the day to put Wofford in front, 3-2.
Wofford broke the game open, scoring five runs in the seventh on three hits and two errors.
The Blue Hose answered by getting every run back in the top of the eighth. PC loaded the bases on a two-out walk by Billy Motroni (Goose Creek, S.C.). The play brought Chong to the plate, and the centerfielder drew a walk to score Martin.
Jay Lizanich came through with a hot smash to center that plated Long and Motroni and put Chong on third. Zebedis then faced a full-count, two-out situation and ripped the payoff pitch through the left side to score another.
Brandon Paul (Augusta, Ga.) capped the run by blooping a single into shallow left field to bring Lizanich home and pull PC back within one, 8-7.
The leftfielder Martin delivered a spectacular catch in the bottom of the eighth, robbing a Terrier of an extra-base hit by leaping into the fence for an out.
Another sterling defensive play ended the eighth inning. With runners at the corners, Wofford sent the runner to steal second. Reliever Michael Trebendis (Fayetteville, Ga.) intercepted the throw and went back home to catch the man at third going home to save the run and end the inning.
Trebendis pitched well in relief, allowing only one hit in 1.1 inning of work.
Jacob Midkiff (Rock Hill, S.C.) drew a leadoff walk to open the top of the ninth but the Blue Hose could not bring him around to tie the game, falling 8-7.
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Presbyterian College 002 000 050 - 7 8 4 (4-2-1)
Wofford............. 000 021 50X - 8 9 3 (4-3)
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Pitchers: Presbyterian College - DEAL, Hayden; WORTKOETTER, Ethan(6); LESIAK, Aaron(7);
TREBENDIS, Michael(7) and LONG, Derek. Wofford - Connell Anderson; Elliot Lance(5);
Quintin Pile(8); Will Stillman(8); Eric Eck(9) and Matt Ramsay.
Win-Elliot Lance(1-0) Save-Eric Eck(4) Loss-DEAL, Hayden(0-1) T-3:18 A-352
Weather: Mid-60s, sunny, slight breeze
Anderson faced 2 batters in the 5th.
Pile faced 3 batters in the 8th.
