Wednesday, March 22, 2006
WEST VIRGINIA STATE TOPS BLUE HOSE 5-2
CLINTON, S.C.- The Presbyterian College Blue Hose baseball team (10-25) dropped their second straight game to the visiting West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (16-2) 5-2 at the PC Baseball Complex Wednesday afternoon.
The Yellow Jackets got on the board first with a Jeff Miller single hit to right field that scored Ryan Taylor in the top of the first inning. The Yellow Jackets picked up two more runs in the third inning when Brandon Halstead singled through the left side bringing home Taylor and Gerald “Boo” Hager.
PC managed to close the gap to one run in the bottom of the inning when freshman Cory Lyda (Simpsonville, S.C.) scored on a single hit by junior Kyle Craven (Savannah, Ga.) and sophomore Russell Robinson (Mt. Pleasant) scored on an error committed by the shortstop off a Nick Hoffner (Ellicott City, Md.) single.
The game would go scoreless until the top of the ninth inning when the Yellow Jackets stretched their lead to three runs when Halstead doubled to left field bringing in Taylor. Halstead then scored on an error by third base.
The Blue Hose went three up-three down in the ninth to finish the game at 5-2. Willis Brandenburg came in the game in the ninth to pick up the save for the Yellow Jackets . WVSU starter Andrew Davis improves his record to 3-0 on the season with the win. PC starter Ross Ellis (Kings Mountain, S.C.) falls to 1-5 with the loss.
Halstead led all batters with four hits and two RBI on the day. Hoffner led PC at the plate with three hits and one RBI.
The Blue Hose return to action this weekend as they continue South Atlantic Conference play against the visiting Mars Hill College Lions in a doubleheader Saturday at 1:00 pm at the PC Baseball Complex.