Sunday, February 12, 2006
BLUE HOSE HOLD OFF NINTH INNING RALLY TO
DEFEAT NO. 11 MOCCASINS 11-8
LAKELAND, FL — Presbyterian College survived a ninth-inning rally by 11th-ranked Florida Southern and held on to beat the Moccasins 11-8 on Sunday at Henley Field and take the final game of the three-game weekend series. The Blue Hose improved to 2-5, while the Moccasins slipped to 5-3.
Trailing 11-3 going to the bottom of the ninth, the Moccasins scored five runs on a leadoff home run by Kyle Patrick, an RBI-single by Raul Rodriguez, and a three-run homer by Alexy Hernandez to cut the lead to 11-8. A one-out single by Nick Diyorio and a walk to Adam Calderone brought Mike Grace to the plate as the potential tying run, but PC's Daniel Hill retired Grace on a grounder to third and Patrick on a fly ball to center to end the game.
Hill's work saved the win for starter Robert Cole (1-1), who had pitched into the ninth. Steven Henry had replaced Cole after the leadoff home run by Patrick and a single by Nick Mershon, but he was unable to retire any of the three batters he faced and Hill came in from third base to pitch.
Presbyterian reached Florida Southern starter Joe Walczak (1-1) for four runs in the third and led the rest of the game. Clay Belton and Russell Robinson led Presbyterian's 15-hit attack with four hits apiece and Robinson also drove in four runs.
The Moccasins used five pitchers in the game, all of whom were scored upon except Wade Waybrant, who pitched a perfect ninth. Normally an infielder, Waybrant was making his first pitching appearance for the Mocs.