GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team's struggles at the plate continued, as the Wolverines managed just eight hits and one run in a pair of losses to Thomas More on Tuesday afternoon in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at R. Jack Behringer Field. The Wolverines fell 9-0 in the opener and dropped a hard-fought 2-1 affair in the nightcap.

In the opener, Thomas More (19-6, 10-3 PAC) scored once in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Micah Burke (Gilbert, Ariz./E.V.A.C.) kept things close on the mound for the Wolverines (11-16, 8-9) through five innings, but Thomas More broke the game open with a seven-run top of the sixth.

Burke took the loss on the mound, allowing 11 hits and nine runs over five and two-thirds innings while striking out a career-high six, including five in a row spanning the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman Henry Womble (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) allowed just one hit in one and one-third scoreless innings of relief.

The second game began much like the first, as the Saints scored single runs in the first two innings to lead 2-0 through two. Grove City would hang around with strong performances on the mound and cut the Thomas More lead in half in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore outfielder Travis Auth (Medina, Ohio/Medina) brought Burke home with an RBI-single through the right side to make it a 2-1 game. However, the Wolverines never were able to come up with the tying run in the setback.

Freshman Corey Thomas (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) took the hard-luck loss on the mound, allowing just two hits and two runs (one earned) over three innings while striking out three. Senior Jimmy Palmer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) allowed just one hit and struck out a pair in two and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief while sophomore Phil Bell (Poland, Ohio/Heartland Christian) retired the final four batters in order.

Grove City returns to action on Friday, visiting Westminster for a 2 p.m. PAC doubleheader.