Box Score Game Box (pdf)
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 17-6 by the College of Charleston at Patriots Points on Saturday night. The Cougars used six runs in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach despite the Terriers having eleven hits and three home runs on the night.
Wofford is 11-23 on the season and 4-10 in the SoCon, while the College of Charleston is 26-11 overall and 11-6 in conference play. The Terriers were led by Matt Moore with three hits, including a home run, and Mac Doyle with three RBIs on one hit. The Cougars were led by Matt Leeds with three hits and five RBIs, including two home runs.
The Terriers had two runners on base in the top of the first, but both were stranded. In the bottom half of the inning, Cole Rakar had a double and a home run by Matt Leeds over the wall in left field gave the Cougars a 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the second, Kolby Epley hit a double to right field and Greg Blake added a single to put runners on the corners with one out. A hit by pitch loaded the bases and a home run to center by Joey Bergman cleared the bases and gave the Cougars a 6-0 lead.
Wofford got on the board in the top of the third with a lead-off solo home run by Matt Moore to left center. The Terriers added a walk and a single from Kyle Behrendt in the inning, but both were left on base.
To open the fourth, Landon Bennett doubled and moved to third on a single up the middle by Konstantine Diamaduros. With one out, Matt Moore singled through the left side to score one run, but a double play ended the Wofford half of the inning with a 6-2 score.
The Cougars loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and eventually scored six runs on three hits with one error by the Terriers for a 12-2 lead. Wofford got three runs back in the top of the fifth when Mac Doyle hit his 14th home run of the season over the left center wall that drove in Alex Lee and Kyle Behrendt. The Terriers loaded the bases with two outs with a single from Landon Bennett and two walks, but left all three runners with a 12-5 score.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Cougars loaded the bases for the second straight inning. A walk allowed one run to score for a 13-5 game after five complete innings. Wofford added another solo home run with a hit over the left field wall in the top of the seventh by Landon Bennett to make it 13-6.
The bases were loaded again for the Cougars in the bottom of the seventh with two out, but a strikeout ended the inning with all three left on base. In the bottom of the eighth, Jesse Mesa hit a pinch hit solo home run to left. Rob Kral added an RBI double to extend the lead to 15-6. A home run to right center by Matt Leeds scored two more runs for the Cougars and a 17-6 score. It was Leeds’ 16th home run on the season, which leads the Southern Conference. In the top of the ninth, Clark Wise registered his first career hit with a double, but was left on base at the conclusion of the game.
For the Terriers, starter J.D. Osborne went 3.2 innings with eight hits and twelve runs allowed with two strikeouts. Pete Noordsy threw an inning and allowed one run on two hits. Anthony Rowland went two innings and allowed only one hit with one strikeout. Brandon Yarusi went 1.1 innings with four runs allowed on four hits with one strikeout.
College of Charleston starter Kevin Decker threw five innings with eight hits and six runs scored with three strikeouts and five walks. Dre Watts went two innings with one hit and one run allowed along with three strikeouts. Casey Lucchese threw an inning with one hit and one strikeout. Robert Jeroszko pitched the ninth and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
Wofford will complete the three-game series at the College of Charleston on Sunday afternoon at approximately 4:30 p.m., which is a time change due to the Blue Angels performance on Sunday afternoon in the Charleston Harbor. The next home game will be Wednesday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. against Gardner-Webb.
