Box Score Game Box (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In a back-and-forth battle, the Wofford College baseball team scored the final three runs in a 12-10 win over Elon on Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The seventh inning saw Elon take a lead at 10-9 in the top half and Wofford regained the lead with two runs in the bottom and added a run in the eighth for the victory.
Wofford is 14-29 on the season and 7-14 in the Southern Conference. Elon is 30-17 overall and 14-10 in the conference. The Terriers were led by Konstantine Diamaduros with two hits and four RBIs, including a home run, and Landon Bennett added three hits. Elon was led by Matt Hinson with three hits and three RBIs.
The Phoenix had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first when a single by Matt Hinson scored two runs. Scott Riddle reached on an error to bring home a run and Ryan Adams added an RBI on a ground-out to take a 4-0 lead. In the top of the second, Elon added a run when Mike Melillo was caught in a run down between first and second that allowed Niko Fraser to score from third for a 5-0 advantage.
Wofford responded in the bottom of the second with six runs to take a 6-5 lead. With one out, David Roney walked and Landon Bennett added a single. Konstantine Diamaduros then hit a home run over the left field wall to score three runs. Taylor Rozier and James Foster added walks and Alex Lee was hit by pitch to load the bases with two out. Kyle Behrendt reached first on an error to score two runs and a wild pitch scored the sixth run of the frame for the Terriers.
Elon tied the game in the top of the third when Neal Pritchard led off with a double and scored on a single to right field by Matt Hinson. The Terriers were able to regain the lead in the bottom of the third. David Roney singled and Landon Bennett reached on an error. A second error in the inning allowed Roney to score from third to make it a 7-6 game.
After a scoreless fourth, Wofford was able to add one run in the bottom of the fifth when Landon Bennett singled, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. A ground out by Konstantine Diamaduros drove in Bennett for an 8-6 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Ryan Adams tripled with one out and a home run by Ben Scott to left field tied the game at 8. Wofford answered again in the bottom of the sixth when James Foster reached on a bunt and moved to third with a single by Alex Lee. Kyle Behrendt hit a sacrifice fly to score Foster and regain the lead at 9-8.
The lead was short, as Elon had back-to-back solo home runs by Mike Melillo and Neal Pritchard to take a 10-9 lead in the top of the seventh. Once again though, the Terriers responded in the bottom half of the inning. Walks to David Roney and Landon Bennett plus a single by Konstantine Diamaduros loaded the bases with no outs. The next two batters for Wofford flew out and did not advance the runners. With the bases still loaded, James Foster walked to score a run and tie the game at ten. Alex Lee was hit by a pitch to bring in the eventual winning run for an 11-10 score.
Elon left two runners on base in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth with two outs, Landon Bennett singled and Konstantine Diamaduros singled. A wild pitch moved both runners and when Josh McKinney reached on an error, Bennett scored to give Wofford a 12-10 lead.
Heading to the bottom of the ninth, the Phoenix followed the first out with two singles. A fly ball moved a runner to third with two out, but Bobby Streisel struck out the final batter to give the Terriers the win.
For the Terriers, John Cornely went the first 5.2 innings with seven hits allowed and eight runs scored with two strikeouts. Cash Collins allowed two runs on three hits in a third of an inning, while Ryan Traylor faced one batter with one out. Pete Noordsy (2-4) picked up the win with two-thirds of an inning without allowing a hit. Bobby Streisel recorded his first save of the season with two innings of work with two hits allowed, no runs and one strikeout.
Elon starter Jim Stokes threw three innings with seven runs (three earned) and four hits allowed with one strikeout. Jared Kernodle went the next three innings with four hits and three runs allowed with three strikeouts. Kyle Webb went 1.2 innings with two hits, two runs and two strikeouts. Greg Amorosso hit his only batter faced and Thomas Girdwood finished the final third of an inning.
The Terriers will play at East Tennessee State on Wednesday night before returning home on Friday night for the beginning of a three-game series against Samford at 7:00 p.m.
