GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference play Friday afternoon by dropping a 12-5 decision to visiting Bethany (4-5, 2-2 PAC) in the 2012 home opener at R. Jack Behringer Field.

Grove City trailed 6-2 entering the bottom of the seventh but pulled back into the game with a three-run outburst. Junior center fielder Josh Sacks (Columbia, Md./Chapelgate Christian) led off with a double and later scored on a groundout by freshman DH J.R. Willard (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland).

Sophomore third baseman Evan Hoskinson (Uniontown, Ohio/Green) capped the rally with a two-run single that scored sophomore shortstop Tom Hawley (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) and junior left fielder Zach Struharik (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman).

However, Bethany broke open the game with six runs in the top of the ninth inning.

Grove City fell behind 5-0 early but broke through in the third when Sacks singled in junior right fielder Cameron Jones (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro). Jones also scored Grove City's second run when he came home on a fifth-inning groundout from Hawley.

Sacks finished the game 3 for 4 with two doubles while Hawley also doubled. Jones and junior first baseman Kyle Shock (Loudonville, Ohio/Hillsdale) both went 2 for 4.

Freshman pitcher Will Chaney (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) started for Grove City and pitched a career-high eight innings. He allowed two earned runs and 11 hits. Chaney took the setback, though. Senior Andrew Krull (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) and freshman Blaine Lang (Canfield, Ohio/Ursuline) both appeared in the ninth inning in relief of Chaney.

Grove City (2-11, 0-1 PAC) will visit Bethany Saturday for a conference doubleheader at 1 p.m.