CLEMSON, S.C. – Presbyterian College baseball waited until the ninth inning to deliver a knockout blow against the Clemson Tigers on Wednesday night, going ahead on a Glen Casaceli two-run single in the top of the inning before sealing the victory with a game-ending double play, 5-4.
PC improves to 17-12 overall and will host Campbell on Thursday in the opening game of a three-game Big South Conference series. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. Clemson moves to 14-14.
With two outs in the top of the ninth and the game tied 3-3, Brandon Martin (Gray Court, S.C.) hit a double and took third on an error during the play. Guy Casaceli (Jupiter, Fla.) then walked on four straight pitches and stole second to bring up his brother, Glen. Facing a full count, the sophomore second baseman ripped the payoff pitch back up the middle to score both runners and give PC a 5-3 lead.
Clemson, down to its last three outs, drew two walks to bring in Brian Kehner (Marietta, Ga.). The Tigers loaded the bases on an error but a lineout gave PC its first out with nobody scoring. An Eli White single cut PC's lead to 5-4, but PC responded with a 1-2-3 double play to end the game and secure the win.
Hayden Deal (Newton, N.C.) earned the win to improve to 2-0 and give the Blue Hose their first victory over the Tigers since 2011. The sophomore threw 1.1 innings of relief, allowing one run before Kehner slammed the door in the ninth inning to earn his third save. Freshman Tanner Chock (Loris, S.C.) produced one of the best starts of his young career, going 6.0 innings with three runs on five hits, striking out five in the no-decision.
Each team scored two runs in the first inning and one in the fifth before the Blue Hose grabbed the win in the ninth. PC went 7-for-15 with two outs to score all of its runs, including Casaceli's go-ahead single that held as the game-winning hit.
All nine Blue Hose picked up a hit, led by Martin's two. Cam McRae (Darlington, S.C.) hit a two-run home run and Glen Casaceli tied the senior with two RBI on the day.
McRae put PC on the board in the first inning. With two away, Jay Lizanich (Greer, S.C.) singled to right center and McRae followed by a parking a 2-1 pitch over the right centerfield wall for a 2-0 Blue Hose lead. The home run marked the senior's third of the season to tie Lizanich for the team lead.
Clemson tied the game on a Chris Okey two-run double in the bottom of the frame.
Chock retired the Tigers in order through the second and third innings to let the Blue Hose jump back ahead in the fifth. Guy Casaceli hit a single and reached second on a throw to home before Glen Casaceli drew a full-count walk. Ryan Hedrick (High Point, N.C.) cashed in, knocking a two-out single up the middle for a 3-2 lead.
The visitors' lead proved short-lived, however, as a Clemson leadoff single turned into a run when Steven Duggar hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth.
Chock continued to roll, silencing Clemson in the sixth as Russell Thompson (Alcolu, S.C.) took over to start the seventh. Deal secured the last out of the inning and held the Tigers scoreless in the eighth, setting up the game's wild finish.
Paul Campbell took the loss to move to 0-2. Duggar and White each went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
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Presbyterian College 200 010 002 - 5 10 1 (17-12)
Clemson............. 200 010 001 - 4 7 2 (14-14)
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Pitchers: Presbyterian College - CHOCK, Tanner; THOMPSON, Russell(7); DEAL, Hayden(7);
KEHNER, Brian(9) and McRAE, Cam. Clemson - Jake Long; Pat Krall(6); Paul Campbell(8);
Clay Bates(9) and Chris Okey.
Win-DEAL, Hayden(2-0) Save-KEHNER, Brian(3) Loss-Paul Campbell(0-2) T-2:55 A-3966
HR PC - McRAE, Cam (3).
DEAL, H. faced 2 batters in the 9th.
