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ELON, N.C. – The Wofford College baseball team waged an epic 18-inning battle with Elon on Friday night at Latham Stadium before falling 12-11. The Terriers scored five runs in the eighth to take a led, but the Phoenix tied it in the bottom of the ninth. Both teams scored in the 13th inning and the game ended on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 18th by the Phoenix.
Wofford is 17-23 on the season and 7-14 in the Southern Conference. Elon is 31-13 overall and are first in the conference with an 18-4 record. The Terriers had five home runs on the day, including two by Mac Doyle. Michael Gilmartin had five hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. The Phoenix were led by Chase Austin, who was four-for-eight at the plate, including a home run and two RBIs.
The Phoenix had the bases loaded with two out in the bottom of the first when a balk allowed one run to score. In the top of the third, James Foster walked with two outs. Foster stole second and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. A single from Michael Gilmartin scored Foster to tie the game at 1-1.
Elon added two runs in the bottom of the third as Cory Harrilchak singled and a home run to left by Chase Austin made it a 3-1 score. For Elon in the bottom of the fifth, Zeth Stone doubled and Corey Harrilchak reached on an error that allowed Stone to score. Chase Austin added a single and both runners advanced with a wild pitch. A single from Pat Irvine drove in both runners to make it a 6-2 game.
Wofford answered in the top of the sixth with back-to-back solo home runs from Kyle Behrendt and Mac Doyle to cut the lead to 6-3. The Terriers left two runners on base in the top of the seventh.
The Phoenix loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh on a single, walk and bunt with one out. After a strikeout, Justin Hilt walked to score a run and give Elon a 7-3 lead.
In the top of the eighth, Wofford used a solo home run from Mac Doyle to get one run back. Neil Robinette tripled and David Roney walked, giving the Terriers two on with two out. A single to right by James Foster scored Robinette to make it a 7-5 game. Michael Gilmartin the hit a home run to left field to score three runs and give Wofford an 8-7 lead.
Elon tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when Chase Austin hit a triple with two outs to score Neal Pritchard. Chase Austin then scored on a wild pitch to regain the lead at 9-8. Wofford again tied the game with a lead-off solo home run by Jake Williams in the top of the ninth. Mac Doyle reached on a single with one out and then stole second. Gus White, in the game playing second, singled to center field to score Doyle to regain the lead at 10-9. James Foster added a single, but Mike McDonnell was out at home to end the inning.
Heading to the bottom of the ninth, Mike Melillo was hit by pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch and then advanced to third on a ground-out. Dallas Tarleton reached first on a fielding error, allowing Melillo to score and tie the game at 10-10. Harry Austin added a single, but the Phoenix left two on base at the end of nine.
In the tenth, Wofford went one-two-three in the top of the inning. Elon left one on base at the end of the tenth. Moving to the eleventh, Neil Robinette singled for Wofford with two out, but was left stranded. Elon had Harry Austin reach on a bunt single and advanced to third on an error, however he remained at third at the end of the inning.
Wofford went quietly in the top of the twelfth inning. The Phoenix opened their half of the inning with a walk to Cory Harrilchak, who advanced to second on a bunt. Pat Irvine was intentionally walked and Wofford got the final two outs of the inning as the Phoenix stranded two.
For the Terriers in the thirteenth, Konstantine Diamaduros doubled and Kyle Behrendt reached on a fielder’s choice. Mac Doyle had a two-out single and Neil Robinette hit a clutch single up the middle to score Behrendt and give Wofford an 11-10 lead. Elon tied the game in the bottom of the thirteenth when Justin Hilt walked, stole second and scored on an error.
With two out in the top of the fourteenth, Michael Gilmartin singled but was left on base. Elon’s Pat Irvin had a single and went to second on an error with one out in the bottom of the inning. With two out, Mike Melillo was intentionally walked and a fielder’s choice ended the inning.
The Terriers went in order to open the fifteenth inning. Elon loaded the bases with two out on two walks and a single by Cory Harrilchak, but a fly out ended the inning with three left on base for the Phoenix.
Wofford had a single from pitcher Bobby Streisel in the top of the sixteenth, but he was left on base. Elon went down one-two-three to end the inning. Heading to the 17th, Michael Gilmartin singled to lead off and Jake Williams was walked with one out. Kyle Behrendt then singled to load the bases, but a strikeout and groundout left all three runners on base. Elon left two on base at the end of the 17th, as Dallas Tarleton singled and Neal Pritchard walked.
After Wofford went in order in the top of the 18th, Pat Irvine led off with a double for Elon and he advanced to third on a sac bunt. A sacrifice fly by Justin Hilt scored Irvine to end the game with a 12-11 final score.
Wofford starter Scott Summers went six innings and allowed six runs on six hits and struck out six batters. J.D. Osborne threw a third of an inning and allowed one hit with a strikeout. Anthony Rowland went two-thirds of an inning and allowed one run and struck out one. John Cornely entered the game in the eighth and allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit with three strikeouts. Michael Gilmartin moved to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and went three innings with two hits and one run allowed before returning to shortstop. Bobby Streisel (0-2) entered in the twelfth and went a career-long 6.2 innings, giving up five hits and two runs with three strikeouts.
For the Phoenix, starter Jimmy Reyes threw 6.2 innings with eight hits allowed and three runs scored with thirteen strikeouts. John Brebbia went two-thirds of an inning and allowed two runs on two hits. Jordan Darnell threw a third of an inning and allowed one run. J.D. Reichenbach allowed two runs on two hits with one strikeout in a third of an inning. Thomas Gridwood went a third of an inning with one run allowed on one hit. Ryan Adams threw four innings and allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Cory Harrilchak (3-1) moved to the mound in the 13th and gave up six hits and struck out nine.
The game was the third extra-inning game of the season for the Terriers, who are currently 1-2 in extra innings. The 18 innings were the most this season for Wofford and the time of 6:19 was also the longest of the year, with both topping the 12-inning, 4:11 game against Samford (3/8). It also is the longest game of the season in the Southern Conference, besting the 15 inning contest between Furman and Western Carolina on April 25. The 18 innings made the game the longest in Southern Conference history, topping
The 24 hits for the Terriers were the most this season and tied for the most in school history with contests against Allen University (4/20/87) and Catawba (4/26/89). Wofford’s 76 at bats in the game are a new school record, topping the 53 against Appalachian State in 1999. The 25 strikeouts by Wofford batters is also a new record, breaking the mark of 18 against South Carolina on March 20, 2002.
Wofford and Elon will continue the three-game series on Saturday evening at 7:00 pm and on Sunday at 1:00 pm.
