Box Score Game Box (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team made the short trip to face USC Upstate on Tuesday at Harley Park and came away with a 15-11 win. The Spartans took an early 5-1 lead. The Terriers then were up 8-6 before the Spartans regained a 9-8 advantage in the sixth. Wofford scored seven runs in the final three innings to secure the road victory.
Wofford is now 14-11 on the season and USC Upstate is 10-16 overall. The game saw the two teams combine to use thirteen pitchers. There were a combined 21 walks issued, 24 runners left on base, seven wild pitches, 17 strikeouts, and seven players hit by pitch. The Terriers were led by Mac Doyle and James Foster with three runs each, while Doyle had three RBIs. Anthony Vacca had four RBIs for the Spartans on two hits.
The Spartans opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when Austin Liput singled and stole second. He was driven in on a double to left center by Luke Weber. A single by Tyler Miller coupled with a fielding error added another run for a 2-0 lead. The Spartans loaded the bases, but all three were stranded at the end of two.
With two out in the top of the third, Alex Lee had a double down the right line. A single by James Foster scored Lee for a 2-1 score. In the bottom of the third the Spartans loaded the bases with nobody out. A sacrifice fly by Luke Weber brought in one runner and an RBI single by Anthony Vacca made it a 4-1 game. With the bases loaded, a hit by pitch scored another run before a fielder’s choice ended the inning with the bases still loaded and a 5-1 lead for the Spartans.
Wofford had hits by Taylor Rozier and Landon Bennett in the top of the fourth and Rozier scored from third on a wild pitch. A single by Eric Brenk drove in Bennett to make it a 5-3 game. The Spartans added a run on a balk in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-3 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Alex Lee reached on a hit by pitch and a home run to left center by Mac Doyle made it a 6-5 game. To lead off the sixth, Landon Bennett hit a home run to left center to tie the game at six. Luke Feisal and Stephen Cantrell added base hits and Feisal came home on an error on an attempted stolen base to take a 7-6 lead. A passed ball allowed Cantrell to score from third to give Wofford an 8-6 advantage in the middle of the sixth.
The Spartans loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, but three straight walks issued made it a 9-8 game in favor of USC Upstate. Wofford loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh. A walk issued to pinch hitter Josh Hyman brought in a run to tie the game at nine. A sacrifice fly by David Roney scored a run for a 10-9 lead, but two base runners passed each other, resulting in the third out of the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Wofford had Alex Lee reach on a walk and James Foster singled. They advanced on a wild pitch and another wild pitch to intentionally walk Mac Doyle scored Lee for an 11-9 lead. The Spartans left two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth.
The Terriers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth on two hit by pitch and a walk. Two wild pitches to James Foster allowed two more runs for a 13-9 lead. A double by Mac Doyle added a run and a walk to Konstantine Diamaduros loaded the bases with two outs. Clark Wise walked and a run scored for a 15-9 advantage before a fly ball ended the Wofford half of the inning with three runners left on base. The Spartans added two runs on a double by Anthony Vacca in the bottom of the ninth for the 15-11 final score.
Wofford starter Gus White gave up two hits and two runs in one and a third inning before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. Jesse Morris entered the game and worked two thirds of an inning with one hit and three runs allowed, plus two strikeouts. Ryan Traylor allowed three hits and one run with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings. Alex Wilson went 1.2 innings with three runs allowed on two hits with a strikeout. Eric Eck (1-3) picked up the win in a third of an inning without allowing a hit. Bobby Streisel threw 1.2 innings with two hits allowed and three strikeouts. John Cornely recorded his fifth save of the season with 1.1 innings and two runs allowed on one hit with three strikeouts.
USC Upstate starter Jake Waller threw five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Andrew Wyant went two-thirds of an inning and allowed three runs on three hits, while Jordan Rusk (1-2) also went two-thirds of an inning with one run allowed on one hit. Chris Knauff went an inning and allowed one run on one hit. Ryan Fern added 1.1 innings and allowed four runs without a hit. Bobby Rednour went the final third of an inning and allowed one hit.
Wofford is scheduled to host Presbyterian College at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday in non-conference action. On Friday the Terriers will begin a three-game series at Appalachian State.
