Box Score Game Box (pdf)
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Wofford baseball team scored ten runs in the first inning on the way to an 11-3 win over Georgia Southern at Clements Stadium on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Terriers win the weekend series against the Eagles.
Wofford is now 21-27 on the season and 8-16 in the Southern Conference. Georgia Southern is 27-21 overall and 14-10 in the conference. The Terriers were led by Brandon Yarusi, who went eight innings on the mound and allowed only five hits and three runs. Landon Bennett had three hits and two RBIs. The Eagles had two hits from Eric Phillips and three RBIs from Victor Roache.
The Terriers had the first two batters of the day reach base. An RBI single by Konstantine Diamaduros drove in the first run for a 1-0 lead. Josh McKinney added a single that scored a second run and Landon Bennett drove in two more runs for a 4-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Alex Lee was hit by a pitch to bring in a run. A passed ball scored a sixth run and James Foster singled to right field to drive in two more runs for an 8-0 lead. Clark Wise added a sacrifice fly to score Foster, who had stolen second and third. Mac Doyle then blasted a solo home run to right center for a 10-0 lead. It was his tenth home run of the season.
In the bottom of the first, the Eagles got one run back on a ground-out RBI by Victor Roache for a 10-1 game. The second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings went by without a run scored.
Wofford was able to load the bases in the top of the seventh on a hit by pitch, single and walk. Josh Hyman lined out, but a throw for a double play was wild and the Terriers added a run for an 11-1 lead. In the bottom of the eighth with one runner on, Victor Roache hit a home run down the right field line to make it 11-3. It was his 24th home run on the season, which leads the nation.
In the top of the ninth, Wofford left two runners on base. The Eagles were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to end the contest. It marked only the fourth series win against Georgia Southern since joining the Southern Conference in 1998 and the first since 2005.
Wofford starter Brandon Yarusi (1-4) went a career-long eight innings with three runs and five hits allowed with two strikeouts. John Cornely pitched the ninth without allowing a hit.
Georgia Southern starter Joe Lower (0-2) was run after just a third of an inning and allowing seven runs on three hits with one strikeout. Matt Murray went six innings and allowed four runs on three hits with five strikeouts. Josh Adams went a third of an inning. Will Middour threw 1.1 innings with one hit and two strikeouts. Chris Myers went the ninth and allowed two hits.
The Terriers are currently eighth in the Southern Conference standings. On Tuesday, Wofford will play at USC Upstate, a game that was added to schedule as a rain date. Next weekend the team will travel to Samford. The next home game for the Terriers will be May 20 against UNC Greensboro.
