Box Score Game Box (pdf)
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Wofford baseball team held on in the ninth inning to secure an 11-7 win over Western Carolina at Hennon Stadium on Friday night. The Terriers had fourteen hits in the game, including a three RBI double by Konstantine Diamaduros in the top of the ninth to take a four-run lead.
Wofford is now 19-20 on the season and 6-10 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 14-20-1 overall and 5-14 in conference play. The Terriers were led by Clark Wise, Josh McKinney and Konstantine Diamaduros with three hits each. Diamaduros added four RBIs. The Catamounts used eight pitchers in the contest and were led by Matt Johns with four hits.
The Terriers had James Foster reach first base on an error in the top of the second. David Roney had a double down the right line, but Foster was thrown out at home. After the Catamounts were retired in order, Clark Wise added a double for Wofford in the top of the third inning. Josh McKinney added a single, but the Terriers left runners on the corners.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ross Hefley walked and Matt Johns hit a double to center field to take a 1-0 lead. The hit was the first of the game for the Catamounts. Wofford loaded the bases on an error and two singles in the top of the fifth with one out. A ground out by Konstantine Diamaduros drove in a run to tie the game at one. A single to center by Mac Doyle drove in two more runs as the Terriers took a 3-1 lead.
Western Carolina added a single in the bottom of the fifth, but stranded the runner. Wofford led off the top of the sixth with a single by Landon Bennett and David Roney walked. A two-out triple to the gap in right field by Clark Wise gave Wofford a 5-2 lead. A single by the middle by Josh McKinney scored Wise for a 6-1 advantage.
The Catamounts had runners on the corners after two singles in the bottom of the sixth with one out. A single by Matt Johns drove in one run for a 6-2 score. Western Carolina loaded the bases and two straight walks brought in two runs to make it a 6-4 game. The Catamounts left three runners on base to end the sixth inning.
To open the top of the seventh, Mac Doyle was hit by a pitch and James Foster walked. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. David Roney drove in a run when he reached on an error for a 7-4 lead, but the Terriers left three on base at the stretch.
In the top of the eighth, Konstantine Diamaduros singled and Mac Doyle walked with one out. A sacrifice fly by James Foster brought in Diamaduros to extend the lead to 8-4. The Catamounts led off the bottom of the eighth with a triple by Matt Johns and a single by Stephen Notaro drove in Johns for an 8-5 score. Western Carolina added a double then a single to left field by Tyler White scored two runs to cut the lead to 8-7 with nobody out, but the Terriers were able to end the inning.
David Roney added a single to open the ninth and he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Moore. Alex Lee and Clark Wise walked to load the bases. With two out and two strikes, Konstantine Diamaduros hit a double to left center to clear the bases and give the Terriers an 11-7 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Catamounts had two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A strikeout ended the game with three left on base.
Wofford starter Cash Collins (7-1) went 5.1 innings and allowed five hits and four runs with four strikeouts. Bobby Streisel worked two-thirds of an inning with a strikeout. Ryan Traylor threw an inning and gave up three runs on four hits. John Cornely picked up his eighth save of the season with two innings on the mound and two hits allowed and one strikeout.
Western Carolina starter Matt Benedict (2-3) threw six innings and allowed six runs on eleven hits and had four strikeouts. Andrew Blackwell faced two batters and allowed one run. Jeremy Sluter picked up one out and Morgan McKinney faced one batter. Andrew Chilcoat worked an inning with one hit and one run allowed. Vance Chavis got one out and Taylor Sandefur added an out. Brandon Johnson entered in the top of the ninth and gave up three runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
With his eighth save, John Cornely has tied the single season save mark held by George Lehr (2002) and Michael Gilmartin (2007). Wofford and Western Carolina will play at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon to complete the series.
