May 12, 2016
Thomas More nips Grove City in opener
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. -- The Grove City College baseball team dropped a 7-6 decision at top-seeded Thomas More in the opening round of the double-elimination Presidents' Athletic Conferene Championship Tournament Thursday morning. Thomas More scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
Grove City will now face Thiel or Washington & Jefferson in the loser's bracket Friday at 1 p.m. at Thomas More.
Fourth-seeded Grove City (25-15) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning when junior first baseman Matt Waugman (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) cracked a two-run homer, his conference-leading 11th clout of the season.
The Wolverines then pushed the lead to 4-0 in the second. Sophomore center fielder Tyler Graham (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) scored on a wild pitch while junior shortstop David Laylock (Mars, Pa./Pine-Richland) came home on a run-scoring fielder's choice from junior catcher Andy Fritz (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch).
Laylock scored the Wolverines' fifth run in the fourth inning when he came in on a single by senior DH Travis Royer (Forest, Va./Twin Valley, Pa.). In the fifth, Waugman singled in sophomore second baseman Drew Landis (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion), who opened the inning with a single.
Thomas More scored twice in the bottom of the fifth, then closed to within 6-5 in the seventh.
Freshman third baseman Micah Burke (Gilbert, Ariz./E.V.A.C.) went 3 for 5 to help lead Grove City's 12-hit attack. Laylock, Royer and Waugaman all had two hits.
Freshman pitcher John Bini (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian) started for Grove City and allowed four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. Junior Cameron Lawson (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings. Junior Ben Finlan (State College, Pa./State College) recorded one out in the ninth and took the defeat.
Grove City is making its first appearance in the conference tournament since 2011.
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