ATHENS, Ga. – The Presbyterian College baseball team held the No. 18 Georgia Bulldogs to a season-low three runs and loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but the Blue Hose could not pull out a win and fell at Foley Field on Tuesday, 3-0.
PC moves to 6-3 while Georgia improves to 6-1. The Blue Hose return home to host Holy Cross in a Saturday-Sunday-Monday series where all games begin at 2 p.m.
Trailing 3-0, PC attempted a rally in the top of the ninth. Weston Jackson (Greer, S.C.) and Cam McRae (Darlington, S.C.) delivered leadoff singles to put two aboard with nobody out. Two outs later, Ryan Hedrick (High Point, N.C.) beat out an infield single to load the bases. The Blue Hose brought TJ Richardson (Sugar Hill, Ga.) in to pinch hit and counter new lefthanded pitcher Connor Jones, but Bulldog arm edged the rookie catcher for a close game-ending groundout.
Sophomore lefthander Brian Kehner (Marietta, Ga.) made his first start of the season and pitched well, going 4.1 innings with three runs, five hits and two strikeouts to move to 0-1. The sophomore allowed two runs in the first before settling down and holding the Bullldogs in check until a lone run in the fifth. Ethan Wortkoetter (Greer, S.C.) threw 2.2 shutout innings with two hits. Hayden Deal (Newton, N.C.) also pitched a perfect inning of work.
McRae led the Blue Hose with two hits. Six different Blue Hose hit safely including Jackson, who ran his hitting streak to nine games.
PC's defense played an error-free game and turned two double plays to end the third and eighth innings.
The Bulldogs manufactured their first score when Stephen Wrenn turned a leadoff walk into a run by way of a stolen base and a Trevor Kieboom RBI single, followed by Zack Bowers doubling to add to the lead with one away. Kehner recovered, however, striking out the final two batters to keep the damage at 2-0 heading into the second.
Georgia drew a walk in the third but PC snuffed out the home side with a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
Brandon Martin (Gray Court, S.C.) drew a walk—after registering PC's first hit in the third—and stole a base to move into scoring position in the fifth. Glen Casaceli (Jupiter, Fla.) worked the count full, fouled off three straight pitches and laced the payoff pitch into left, but leftfielder Mitchell Webb's throw reached home before Martin to end the inning and keep the Blue Hose scoreless.
Georgia struck again in the fifth as the Bulldogs used a leadoff single, stolen base and a sac bunt to place a runner at third. Wortkoetter entered the game for Kehner and secured the second out before a Zack Bowers single plated the run for a 3-0 home lead.
PC threatened in the top of the sixth with two runners aboard but could not convert. The Blue Hose would not get another solid chance until the dramatic ninth.
Georgia's Zack Bowers led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-2 day with two RBI and a walk. Sean McLaughlin pitched five innings for the win (1-1) and Connor Jones earned his first save by virtue of the final out.
