CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College baseball team grabbed a series-opening victory from the UNC Asheville Bulldogs on Friday afternoon at the PC Baseball Complex, using strong pitching and two big innings en route to the 8-3 victory.
PC (19-15, 2-8 Big South) will meet UNC Asheville (16-19, 3-7 Big South) will meet in the second game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Blue Hose held Asheville to only three hits—two home runs and a triple—while making the most out of their own five hits. David Sauer (Irmo, S.C.) dazzled in the start, improving to 4-3 with the win. The junior allowed two hits and three runs in seven innings while striking out six. A quartet of PC relievers combined to shut out the Bulldogs with only two baserunners through the final three innings.
Cam McRae (Darlington, S.C.) led PC with two hits and RBI. The senior put PC on the board in the first inning, scoring Peter Johnson (Seattle, Wash.) with an RBI groundout.
UNC Asheville answered in the top of the second, as Tommy Houmard hit a two-run home run to right field for a 2-1 Bulldogs lead. Sauer limited the damage to just the pair, however, striking out the next three to keep PC within a run.
The Blue Hose pulled even in the fifth. Jacob Midkiff (Rock Hill, S.C.) hit a leadoff single before a walk and error loaded the bases with nobody out. Guy Casaceli (Jupiter, Fla.) watched four straight balls for an RBI walk and a Tyler Weyenberg (Marietta, Ga.) fielder's choice tied the game, 3-3.
A throwing error as Weyenberg attempted to steal allowed Billy Motroni (Goose Creek, S.C.) to score from third and put the Blue Hose ahead. Weyenberg took third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch, giving PC a 5-3 edge heading into the sixth.
PC added three more insurance runs in the eighth. Jay Lizanich (Greer, S.C.) drew a leadoff walk and scored on a McRae double to the left field corner. A fielder's choice and wild pitch moved runners to second and third, setting up a passed ball that allowed McRae to score. Two more walks loaded the bases for AJ Priaulx (Warner Robins, Ga.), whose fly ball to left scored Hedrick on the sacrifice for the final 8-3 score.
---------------------------------------------------------
UNC Asheville....... 020 010 000 - 3 3 2 (16-19, 3-7 BSC)
Presbyterian College 100 040 03X - 8 5 2 (19-15, 2-8 BSC)
---------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNC Asheville - CLARKE, Lucas; JOURA, Evan(5); JUDAY, Jesse(7); SPRACKLIN, Adam(8);
SWINDELL, Parker(8); BOYLES, Nick(8) and OWENS, Lucas; BAILIFF, Ben. Presbyterian College -
SAUER, David; HAYES, Trey(8); KEHNER, Brian(8); THOMPSON, Russell(9); TREBENDIS, Michael(9) and
RICHARDSON, TJ.
Win-SAUER, David(4-3) Loss-CLARKE, Lucas(3-5) T-2:42 A-139
HR AVL - TIETJEN, Joe (4); HOUMARD, Tommy (1).
Weather: Low 70s, wet after 2 pm rain
JUDAY, Jesse faced 2 batters in the 8th.
