Blue Hose Baseball

NEWBERRY, S.C. – Presbyterian senior ace Richard Barkley (Sumter, S.C.) tossed a complete-game five-hit shutout to get number-three seeded PC to an opening round win 9-0 over the sixth-seeded host school Newberry College in round one of the Food Lion / South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament at Kirkland Field Thursday afternoon.

The Blue Hose (23-25) jumped out to a quick lead with two runs in the second against Newberry freshman starter Russell Haltiwanger (Simpsonville, S.C.). Two leadoff hits and then an RBI double by PC catcher Dusty New (Abbeville, S.C.) put the first of the two runs on the board. First baseman Matt Warren (Lexington, S.C.) then knocked in his first of four RBI with a sacrifice fly to score left fielder Tombo Hite (Abbeville, S.C.) in the third to make it 3-0 PC.

PC's Richard Barkley threw his second shutout of the season as the Blue Hose defeated Newberry 9-0
(Photo by Steve Owens)

Barkley was in control the entire afternoon, facing the minimum through four innings of play. He logged seven strikeouts on the afternoon and walked nobody in his ninth victory of the season (9-2). His record improved to 7-0 with a miniscule 1.04 ERA in eight games against SAC schools this season.

The Indians (24-28) got runners to second base three times in the last five innings, but no one touched third on the day. Senior right fielder Gene Dotson (Savannah, Ga.) was the lone Newberry player with a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4 with a pair on singles.

Warren made the game academic in the seventh when he blasted a three-run homer the opposite way to right center to make it 7-0. The Indians committed a pair of errors to allow two unearned runs in the ninth.

Haltiwanger took the loss (6-3). In his six innings, he allowed just three earned runs on eight hits and three walks, while striking out four batters.

PC advances to tomorrow morning’s 9 a.m. winner’s bracket game against the winner of the Lenoir-Rhyne/Wingate game to take place later Thursday afternoon. Newberry will battle the other team at Newberry High School, also at 9 a.m.

PC's Tombo Hite avoids the tag sliding into second base
(Photo by Steve Owens)