Sunday,
February 13, 2005
BLUE
HOSE HANG ON FOR 9-8 WIN OVER VALDOSTA
VALDOSTA,
GA – The Presbyterian College baseball team scored three
runs in the top of the seventh and then held off a ninth
inning Valdosta State rally to defeat the Blazers 9-8 on
Sunday afternoon at Billy Grant Field.
PC (2-5)
jumped on the board early with three runs in the top of the
first. Casey Carlson
(Lexington, SC) walked to lead off the game and scored on a Robert
Rodebaugh (Marietta, GA) single. After a Lance
Howard (Simpsonville, SC) single, Matt
Bodie (Aiken, SC) drilled a double to left center that
scored Rodebaugh. Howard scored the final run of the inning on
a Russell Robinson
(Strasburg, VA) groundout.
After
allowing Valdosta (3-3) to score two in the bottom of the
inning, the Blue Hose added to their lead with two runs in the
second.
Clay
Belton (Ridgeway, SC) reached on an error to start the
inning and scored on a Carlson double. Donald
Sheppard (Sylvania, GA) then reached on a fielder’s
choice that allowed Carlson to cross the plate and give PC a
5-2 lead.
PC would
add a single run in the top of the third before the Blazers
would rally with four runs in the bottom of the inning to tie
the score up at six. Valdosta took the lead for a short time
in the bottom of the fifth, but PC rallied to take the lead
for good in the top of the seventh.
Robinson
led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a bunt
single by Andrew
Cockerham (Millers Creek, NC). After Belton reached on
a fielder’s choice, Evan Sowell
(Chesterfield, SC) singled to load the bases. Carlson was then
walked to force in Cockerham. Sheppard was then hit by a pitch
to allow Belton to cross the plate and give PC the lead.
Rodebaugh then lofted a fly ball to right field that scored
Sowell.
Valdosta
rallied in the bottom of the ninth, but a PC double play ended
the threat.
Dan
Stankus (Alexandria, VA)
picked up the win on the mound for the Blue Hose, tossing six
and a thirds innings and giving up only two runs.
Carlson,
Howard, and Bodie all had two hits to lead PC at the plate.
The Blue Hose will return to action Tuesday as they travel to Augusta, GA to take on Augusta State University for a single game beginning at 2 p.m.