Box Score Game Box (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In a contest dominated by pitching, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 3-2 by The Citadel at Russell C. King Field on Friday night. The pitching staffs combined for a total of 19 strikeouts in a game that was decided by three solo home runs for the #25 ranked Bulldogs.
Wofford is 8-18 on the season and 2-5 in the SoCon, while The Citadel is 20-7 overall and 10-0 in conference play. The Terriers were led by James Foster with two doubles and Tom Dolinak with four strikeouts in five innings of work. The Bulldogs had two solo homers by Nick Orvin and pitcher Asher Wojciechowski had nine strikeouts in eight innings.
The Bulldogs opened the game with back-to-back home runs by Nick Orvin and Brad Felder for a 2-0 lead. In the top of the third, Orvin added a second solo home run for a 3-0 lead for The Citadel.
In the bottom of the third, Alex Lee walked with one out. A double down the left field line by James Foster scored Lee. A single by Kyle Behrendt to left scored Foster for a 3-2 game. Wofford left one runner on in the fourth and one in the fifth.
The Citadel threatened in the top of the sixth with singles by Matt Simonelli and Bryan Altman, but both runners were stranded. The Terriers opened the bottom of the sixth with a double by Mac Doyle and a walk by Konstantine Diamaduros. A bunt by Landon Bennett advanced the runners into scoring position with one out, but both were left on base.
In the top of the eighth, Brad Felder doubled with one out, however was stranded. Wofford’s Mac Doyle reached first on an error in the bottom of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, Justin Mackert doubled with two outs for the Bulldogs. The Terriers were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth for the 3-2 final score.
For the Terriers, starter Tom Dolinak (0-1) allowed only three hits and three runs with four strikeouts in five innings. Cash Collins allowed two hits with two strikeouts in an inning, while Ryan Traylor had one strikeout and no hits in the seventh. Bobby Streisel went the final two innings with two hits and three strikeouts. As a staff, the Terriers had ten strikeouts without a walk. It was the first game of the season the team did not issue a walk.
The Citadel starter Asher Wojciechowski (7-0) went eight innings with five hits and two runs scored along with nine strikeouts as he pitched in front of approximately twenty scouts in attendance. Drew Mahaffey recorded his sixth save of the season by not allowing a base runner in the ninth. The four doubles hit by the Terriers against Wojciechowski equaled his season total allowed entering the game.
Wofford continues the three-game home conference series on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. against The Citadel.
