On Tuesday night, I was busily going through all the high-school results, monitoring Clinton High, Laurens and Thornwell Charter. Laurens Academy wasn’t playing, but I saw the baseball team at Dempsey’s Pizza.
Friday figures to be busy. PC is playing baseball and the spring football scrimmage at the same time while Clinton takes on Chester. I haven’t made up my mind yet whether to concentrate on one or shoot photos of all three.
Coming off a three-game PC sweep of Radford, Western Carolina stormed into Clinton and left with a 9-5 decision over the Blue Hose on Tuesday night.
Quality pitching was in short supply, but lots of hurlers from both teams took a shot at it. The Catamounts and Blue Hose tried nine arms. In both cases, four yielded runs, and two of PC’s four – Jeffrey Hays (L, 0-4) and Robbie Boykin – gave up four each.
A run in the second inning gave Presbyterian (16-17) the lead until the fourth, when Western Carolina (18-12) scored four runs, and the fifth, when they repeated the feat.
Second baseman Zach Ketterman went 3/4 with a double, driving in three runs to lead the Catamounts. Third baseman Mason Holton was 2/5 with two RBI.
For the Blue Hose, catcher Jake Randolph, a sophomore from Vero Beach, Fla., homered and went 2/4, while center fielder Joel Dragoo was 2/5 with a double.
Western Carolina amassed 10 hits to Presbyterian’s seven.
Dante Visconti (W, 2-0) started on the hill for the Catamounts and gave up three hits and a run, with a walk and five strikeouts.
Randolph staked PC to an early lead with his solo blast to left.
Western Carolina led 8-1 when the Blue Hose scored twice in the seventh inning. Noah Lebron, Jack Gorman and Randolph all singled, and the latter run scored on Eli Lazio’s sacrifice fly.
Trailing by six, PC scored twice in the bottom of the ninth.
Randolph’s home run was the first of his career.
Winthrop visits for a three-game series that begins Friday with a 6 p.m. game. The Blue Hose and Eagles play at 4 p.m. on Saturday and 2 on Sunday at Elton Pollock Field.
Take a look at the box here.
The Presbyterian College football team offers a glimpse of what’s to come later this year at the annual Blue/White Spring Game.
The annual scrimmage is at 7 p.m. on Friday at Bailey Memorial Stadium.
Gates open approximately one hour before the festivities begin as the Blue Hose simulate a 48-minute contest incorporating all members of the roster.
Heading into his third season as head coach, Steve Englehart will direct a series of 12-minute quarters, switching between full drives and situational snaps (such as red-zone and special-teams plays).
Presbyterian posted a three- win improvement from Englehart’s debut year in 2022, highlighted by a stunning upset of Wofford, the first time in history a Pioneer Football League member defeated a representative of the Southern Conference.
Following that road win, PC picked up an overtime triumph at Dayton in October as well as a season-ending 31-27 triumph over Morehead State in Clinton.
For the second consecutive year, Gardner-Webb is the No. 1 seed in the Big South Men’s Tennis Championship.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs finished the regular-season as the outright champion with their 4-0 Big South record, and are seeking the program’s first Big South Tournament crown.
UNC Asheville finished second in the Big South standings at 3-1 to earn the No. 2 seed, while defending champion Presbyterian is the No. 3 seed based on its 2-2 conference finish. Longwood received the fourth and final seed with its 1-3 league record.
The Big South Men’s Tennis Championship is Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21 at Marion Diehl Tennis Center in Charlotte, N.C.
With the final five regular-season matchups still to come, a sequence of two road bouts is coming up for PC lacrosse.
Head coach Eric Clakeley’s club visits High Point on Wednesday evening, battling the Panthers at 5 p.m.
Prior to a Saturday trip to Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian (1-10, 0-3 Big South) will take on an HPU opponent that has consistently been at or near the top of the league standings. They’ll aim for their first-ever victory against the Panthers (6-5, 2-1).
Monday was my birthday. I’ve never been one to ask people to donate to charity for my birthday. What makes me think people who wouldn’t dream of giving me a present should give to charity in my name?
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