Pinecrest's late season slide continued at Hoke County Tuesday evening, and Buck pitcher Ronald Womack has still not allowed an earned run this season.

Three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning helped Hoke defeat the Patriots 4-1, handing the visitors their third conference loss in the last four games. The Pats fell to 7-4 in the league (14-5 overall) and back into a third-place tie with Richmond Senior.

Hoke and Scotland County share the top spot with 9-2 marks with three conference games left to play.

Womack allowed only three hits and struck out nine batters as he improved to 6-0. The Patriot run in the seventh inning was unearned, meaning the junior left-hander has not been charged with an earned run in 51 innings this season.

Pinecrest pitcher Andrew MacDonald had not allowed a hit and retired 11 batters in a row going into the bottom of the fifth of a scoreless ballgame. Luis Renvill led off the frame with a double to right-center, but was erased trying to advance to third on a sacrifice bunt attempt.

A walk and a wild pitch put Buck runners on second and third with one out. With the Patriot infield pulled in, shortstop Dillon Maples fielded a ground ball off the bat of Jordan Cummings. His throw home was wide and got by catcher Trent Fredericks, as a run scored. Two batters later, Evan Guy doubled to right-center, driving home two more runs.

The Bucks made it 4-0 with a run off Patriot reliever Taylor MacDonald in the bottom of the sixth.

The Patriots made a comeback bid in the top of the seventh. Andrew MacDonald drew a walk and then circled the bases on a couple of throwing errors by the Bucks. Womack struck out Maples and Taylor MacDonald, but Fredericks was hit by a pitch and Joey Grady lined a single into left field for his second hit of the night.

That put the tying run at the plate, but Womack struck out Joe Herbert to end the game.

Pinecrest will try to right the ship in Friday's 7 p.m. Youth Night game at home against Jack Britt. The Buccaneers (6-5, 9-11) are only one game in back of Pinecrest and Richmond in the standings.

R H E

Pinecrest 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -- 1 3 1

Hoke 0 0 0 0 3 1 x -- 4 42

A. MacDonald, T. MacDonald (5) and Fredericks; R. Womack and Crowder; WP - R. Womack (6-0) LP - A. MacDonald (6-2); Leading hitters (P) Grady 2-3 (H) Guy 1-3, 2B, RBI, Crowder 1-3, 2B, RBI, Renvill 1-3, 2B.