Live Video | Live Stats
CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College baseball team will kick off a four-game homestand on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. when the Blue Hose host Western Carolina at the PC Baseball Complex.
Free live video streaming will be available on the Big South Network.
The Blue Hose will likely start freshman righthander Tanner Chock (1-0, 2.57 ERA) and Western Carolina will start BJ Nobles (2-0, 3.38 ERA) as part of a planned staff day.
PC (12-4, 0-0 Big South) went 5-1 from Monday to Sunday, finishing off Holy Cross in a series sweep before taking a midweek game from Wofford on Wednesday and two from Richmond over the weekend. The Blue Hose continue the best start in their Division I (beginning in 2007-08) history by winning their 12th game on Sunday against Richmond. PC did not win its 12th game last season until April 12 against Winthrop, then with a record of 12-22-1.
Western Carolina (6-6, 0-0 SoCon) took three of four from Holy Cross in Cullowhee over the weekend after weather wreaked havoc on the team's schedule two weeks ago. The Catamounts won their first two of the season against Purdue and look to Bradley Strong to lead the offense, with a team-best .434 batting average and 20 RBI. The Catamounts have hit at a .313 clip so far but enter the week with a 6.22 team ERA.
Six regulars in the Blue Hose lineup enter the week hitting at least .300 on the season, led by senior outfielder Brandon Martin's (Gray Court, S.C.) .405. Senior catcher Cam McRae (Darlington, S.C.) ranks third with a .387 average and hit safely in his 10th straight game on Sunday, setting a new team record for this season. Senior shortstop Jay Lizanich (Greer, S.C.) and freshman third baseman Ryan Hedrick (High Point, N.C.) lead the team with 13 RBI, a category in which PC boasts seven players with at least 10 RBI.
Four Blue Hose pitchers enter the week with two wins apiece. Rotation bookends Beau Dees (Blenheim, S.C.) and Aaron Lesiak (Greenville, S.C.) are 2-0, as is freshman reliever Russell Thompson (Alcolu, S.C.). Ethan Wortkoetter (Greer, S.C.) has also earned two wins with a loss and seven pitchers have maintained an ERA for 3.05 or better while pitching at least 4.1 innings.
The Blue Hose boast a 7-1 record at the PC Baseball Complex this season and will play four home games this week, including a Big South Conference-opening series against Gardner-Webb that begins Friday. PC also enters the week with a 4-2 record in one-run games and, heading into the ninth inning, PC holds a 9-0 record when leading and a 2-3 record when trailing following a walk-off comeback rally against Richmond on Friday.
PC's five game-win streak came to an end on Saturday at Davidson in a 5-4 loss to the Wildcats. All four of the team's wins have come by three runs or fewer, including two one-run losses to Xavier and Davidson. The 2011 team holds the program Division I record win streak, winning nine straight games from March 4 to March 19.
The Blue Hose have played two true weekend series this year and swept them both following Monday's doubleheader wins over Holy Cross (and going 4-0 to start the season against Delaware State). PC has also played Wofford twice and Richmond twice this season, winning one against the Terriers and two against the Spiders. Three of PC's losses have come in lone meetings against Georgia, Xavier and Davidson.
Following Tuesday's game, PC hosts Gardner-Webb in a Big South Conference-opening weekend series that begins on Friday at 3 p.m.
