CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. -- Senior Michael Ruffing belted his first career home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring Washington & Jefferson within a run, but the Presidents were unable to fully overcome a seven-run deficit as Thomas More forced a decisive final game of the 2016 Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament by an 8-7 score.

The loss drops the Presidents to 26-16 on the season and improves the Saints to 29-10. After rain pushed Saturday's start back to 4 p.m., the two teams will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 15 to determine who will earn the 2016 PAC Championship, as well as the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship field. It marks the fourth-straight season that the league title has come down to these two teams. The PAC Sports Network (pacstream.net) will once again have the call from Thomas More Field.

W&J found itself down 8-1 through five-and-a-half innings, after Thomas More scored two in the first, and three in the third and sixth innings.

The Presidents answered the Saints' three spot with one of their own in the sixth. Frank Fortunato was hit by a pitch to lead off and scored from second on Dan Trettel's RBI double. Mark Merlino, who walked with one out earlier in the inning, scored on an RBI ground out by Nick Morton and Ruffing singled through the right side to bring home Trettel, 8-4.

W&J couldn't continue the momentum in the seventh, but Trettel and Morton singled through the left side to begin play in the bottom of the eighth, setting the table for Ruffing's first career homer. Ruffing turned on a pitch and watched it sail over the fence in right field to bring W&J to within one with no outs in the eighth. Derek Helbing would advance to third with two outs after walking, but the Presidents were unable to push him across the plate to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Red & Black again got the tying run into scoring position as Morton doubled with two outs, but pinch-runner Mullen Socha was left stranded as TMC was able to force the "if necessary" game.

Trettel, Morton and Ruffing, the Presidents' 7-8-9 hitters, accounted for six of W&J's nine hits as each collected two. Ruffing posted a game- and career-high four RBI in the loss.

Bryce Schnatterly (5-3) suffered the defeat on the hill, yielding five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3.0 innings. Nick Kolat worked 3.1 innings of relief, giving up just three hits and three runs. Matt Heslin worked a scoreless 2.2 innings to keep W&J within striking distance.