CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College Blue Hose baseball team (21-21, BSC: 11-5) beat the USC Upstate Spartans (27-15, BSC: 12-4) after an intense back and forth nine inning battle.
 
COACH POLLOCK'S THOUGHTS
"I'm so proud of our guys and their efforts on both sides of the ball. It was a true back and forth battle versus a very good baseball team. Our guys were relentless tonight and played with energy from start to finish."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Joel Dragoo kickstarted the game with a powerful shot over the left field wall, giving PC an early 1-0 advantage.
- After a scoreless second and third inning, the Spartans seized the lead with a three-run surge in the top of the fourth inning.
- The fifth inning saw PC's determination to reclaim control. With two outs, Jay Wetherington's precision single to the right side set the stage. His steal to second base added pressure, paving the way for Jack Gorman's walk. Brody Fahr's timely RBI single, followed by an aggressive base-running display, saw PC pushing ahead. Dragoo's intentional walk loaded the bases, setting the scene for Noah Lebron's clutch two-RBI single, amplifying PC's lead to 6-3.
- Both teams added a run in the sixth inning, including Jackson Hugus's hard hit home run to the left corner.
- However, Upstate rallied fiercely, knotting the score at 7-7 in the seventh inning.
- In the eighth, the Spartans broke the deadlock with two crucial runs, setting the stage for a tense finale.
- Undeterred, PC rallied in the bottom of the inning. Lebron's single, followed by Randolph's fourth hit, set up a crucial walk by Evan Cuervo, loading the bases. A pinch runner, Eli Lazio, entered, with Hugus' groundout bringing in a run. With runners in scoring position, Rhouge Wallace's smart play and stolen base set the stage for Wetherington's game-changing hit, bringing in two more runs to retake the lead.
- Solid pitching from Kyle Mueller and stellar defense sealed the deal, as Presbyterian held off the Spartans in the ninth, securing a thrilling 10-9 victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Daniel Eagen started on the mound where he saw 5.0 innings of play and threw for eight strikeouts.
- Jake Randolph batted a perfect 4-for-4 while racking up a pair of doubles.
- Joel Dragoo recorded two hits, two runs, and his 12^th home run of the season.
- Jackson Hugus smashed a longball in the sixth inning as his third of the season.
 
UP NEXT
The Blue Hose will face the Spartans tomorrow for game number two of their series with a first pitch set for 4:00 p.m.