CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Presbyterian College baseball has its back to the wall, but Tuesday night’s 7-6 loss to Western Carolina had little to do with it.

Nor did the weekend series at powerful Miami – the Hurricanes prevailed at a three-game clip of 37-7 and surely a generous stipend was involved – matter.

The measure of Blue Hose success is qualifying for the Big South Championship tournament, which is only open to the top four in the regular-season standings. In order to do so, PC must dominate the final two series, both of which are against teams ranked even and below the Hose in the standings.

Longwood (19-28, 8-13) visits Elton Pollock Field on Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (6) and Sunday (2). The Blue Hose visit by far the Big South’s weakest team, Radford (Va.), on May 18-20. To have a shot of qualifying for the tournament, Presbyterian (18-31, 9-12) must at least win the Longwood series and sweep Radford(9-38, 1-19). PC has not yet swept a league series. Even 6-0 might not be enough.

PC split games versus Western Carolina (19-28) on Feb. 22 in Clinton and Tuesday.

The Blue Hose struck for a run in the top of the first. With one out, second baseman Jack Gorman, shortstop Brody Fahr and left fielder Joel Dragoo singled in order, with the last driving in Gorman. The inning ended when Ryan Ouzts struck out and Dragoo was thrown out stealing.

Western Carolina starter got off cheap when the Blue Hose produced three hits in the top of the first inning. Not so for Presbyterian’s Fenix DiGiacomo, who gave up three runs of the Catamounts’ three first-inning hits, which consisted of second baseman Brandon Butterworth’s leadoff single, a one-out double by shortstop Pascanel Ferraras and a three-run homer by third baseman Zach Ketterman.

The Hose got one back in the third on Kyle Decker’s leadoff homer, then retook the lead with a three-run fourth.

Ouzts walked, Dalton Reeves doubled, Trey Fenderson lofted a sacrifice fly, and Kyle Merkle, the DH, blasted a two-run homer down the left-field line.

The bats quieted until the top of the seventh inning, when Western Carolina’s Cole Jones led off with a home run to right field. A Butterworth sac fly tied it, 5-5.

It was poignant ending for Mason McDaniel, who pitched four relief innings, and the first three glittered. He gave up two securing his final three outs and lost a shot at a decision.

Ferraras greeted William Farrar with a double in the eighth and advanced to third base on an error, and Ketterman walked. Catcher Jack Spyke – some name, huh? – singled through the left side of the infield to put the Catamounts ahead.

Merkle singled to lead off the ninth inning, giving way to pinch runner Amman Dewberry. Evan Cuervo singled Dewberry to third. Lorenzo Rios pinch-hit for Decker, and Coby Ingle relieved for Western. Yechiel Saint pinch-ran for Cuervo, and Rios fanned on a full count for the first out. Gorman flied to left, sacrificing in  Dewberry, and Fahr reached on an error, but Dragoo grounded into a game-ending fielder’s choice.