WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team rallied from a 9-2 deficit in the seventh inning Thursday afternoon to earn a 15-11 victory over Waynesburg in the semifinals of the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Tournament at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park.

The win vaults No. 2 seed Grove City (27-13) into Friday's winner's bracket final against No. 1 seed W&J. Grove City also matched the program record for single-season victories with Thursday's comeback triumph. 

Grove City surged ahead by scoring 10 runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nine consecutive men reached base as the Wolverines sent 14 batters to the plate. Sophomore pinch hitter Tanner Orner (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) walked and later scored the first run of the comeback when senior third baseman Micah Burke (Gilbert, Ariz./E.V.A.C.) reached on an infield single.

Senior DH Bobby Dulay (Youngstown, Ohio/Ursuline) walked with bases loaded, pushing home junior first baseman Matt Dayton (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton). Junior shortstop Bobby Abbott (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) then unloaded the bases with a three-run double, cutting the lead to 9-7.

Freshman right fielder Colton Lineman (Chapel Hill, N.C./Northwood) walked. After a wild pitch advanced both Abbott and Lineman, Orner blasted a game-tying triple to right field. Orner then scored the go-ahead run when senior Travis Auth (Medina, Ohio/Medina) roped a double. Sophomore second baseman Jesse Clary (Cranberry Township, Pa./Eden Christian) doubled in Auth and Dayton capped the outburst with a triple that brought in Clary.

Grove City added three more runs in the eighth inning. Orner singled in senior center fielder Shane Hammel (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge), pushing the lead to 13-9. Sophomore pinch hitter Bubba Hamilton (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) walked with the bases loaded, scoring sophomore pinch runner D.J. Newby (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport). Clary reach on a hit batsman, bringing in Abbott. 

Grove City trailed 7-0 in the fifth inning before scoring twice. Dayton's bases-loaded walk scored Lineman while a fielder's choice brought in senior catcher Derek Boyle (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point).

Eleven different players scored a run for Grove City, including all nine starters. The Wolverines had 11 total hits while also receiving 12 walks and four hit batsmen. 

Sophomore pitcher Joel Engstrom (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) improved to 5-0 by pitching four innings of relief. He struck out three and allowed two runs in his stint. Senior pitcher John Bini (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian) started and pitched 2 2/3 innings. Sophomore Jacob Brothers (Aurora, Ill./Aurora Christian) followed with 2 1/3 innings of relief. 

It's the largest comeback in the PAC Tournament since May 9, 2009, when W&J rallied from an 8-0 deficit to defeat Thiel, 19-18. Friday, Grove City will play W&J at 12 p.m. in the winner's bracket final. No. 3 Waynesburg and No. 4 Bethany will play an elimination game at 3 p.m. The Bethany-Waynesburg winner will play the Grove City-W&J loser at 6 p.m. Friday night.