WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson baseball team tallied 11 hits against Grove City in PAC action today at Ross Memorial Park, but was unable to pull out a win in an 8-5 home setback. 

Today's loss is just the Presidents second in conference this season, as they sport a 19-2 league record and a 25-10 overall mark. The Wolverines, on the other hand, improve to 24-13 overall and 14-7 in league play, the second-best record in the PAC. 

After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, the Red & Black bounced back with four runs in the bottom of the frame. James Artale (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) started the rally with an RBI single to left. 

Adam Moore (Olean, N.Y./Archbishop Walsh) then stepped to the plate and drove home two with a single up the middle. Adam Jaworski (Canonsburg, Pa./Peters Township) put W&J up 4-1 with an RBI single of his own two batters later. 

The game got away from the Presidents in the top of the fifth inning, as Grove City scored four runs. In the frame, the Wolverines tallied just one hit, but they took advantage of five walks and one hit-by-pitch. 

With two more runs in the seventh inning, Grove City took an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth. In the ninth, the Red & Black loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. W&J got one run back on an RBI ground out from Josh Crummer (Great Falls, Va./Flint Hill School), but that would be it, as the Presidents fell 8-5.

Artale led the way for the Red & Black with a 3-for-5 day at the plate with two doubles, one RBI and one run scored. Over the last two games, Artale has logged five hits and five RBI. 

Mullen Socha (Independence, Ohio/St. Ignatius) was next on the team with two hits. Six other Presidents tallied one hit in the game, with Dalesandro reaching base three times on two walks and a double. 

On the pitching mound, Santino Platt (Pittsburgh, Pa./OLSH) started and allowed six runs over 4.1 innings with three strikeouts. 

Mitchell Taufer (Washington, Pa./Bishop Canevin) tossed 1.2 innings and allowed no runs with two strikeouts. For the season, Taufer has pitched 23.1 innings without allowing a run. He is second on the team with 31 strikeouts. 

The Presidents will take a break from PAC play tomorrow to challenge La Roche at 4 p.m. at the Redhawks' baseball field in Pittsburgh, Pa.