Box Score Game Box One (pdf)
Game Box Two (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team split a doubleheader with UNCG on Friday night at Russell C. King Field. In the first game, the Spartans scored six runs in the second inning on the way to a 10-9 victory. Jesse Morris struck out 15 batters in the second game to lead the Terriers to a 4-1 win.
Wofford is now 10-14 on the season and 2-6 in the Southern Conference. UNCG is 11-11 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
In game one, the Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the second on a catcher’s interference, hit by pitch and walk. A double by Zac MacAneney drove in two runs and Benigno Marrero reached on an error that allowed two more runs to score. An RBI single from Ray Crawford made it a 5-0 score. The Spartans added a run on a sacrifice fly by Eric Kalbfleisch for a 6-0 lead.
The Terriers loaded the bases in the bottom of the second and a single by Matthew Kaskow drove in one run. A ground out by Alec Paradowski added a run, while a wild pitch allowed Wofford to cut the lead to 6-3 after two innings. Neither team scored in the third or fourth innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, Josh Hyman had a double and he scored on a single up the middle by James Plaisted. Matthew Pelt struck out, but reached first on a passed ball and Plaisted was able to score. Luke Feisal made it to first after a fielding error and Pelt crossed home plate on the play to tie the game at six.
After the Spartans left one runner on base in the top of the sixth inning, Wofford had runners at second and third with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Josh Hyman beat out a throw on an infield single that scored Matt Moore to give the Terriers a 7-6 lead.
The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the seventh on a double and two walks. A single by Enzor drove in the tying run. Zac MacAneney hit a two RBI single and a sacrifice bunt by Benignio Marrero gave the Spartans a 10-7 advantage. After a scoreless eighth, the Terriers opened the bottom of the ninth with a double by Alec Paradowski. A single by Seth Neely scored Paradowki to make it a 10-8 score and a single by James Plaisted cut the lead to one run, but that was as close as the Terriers could get.
Wofford starter Brandon Yarusi went 6.1 innings and allowed seven runs on six hits with two strikeouts. J.D. Osborne (1-1) gave up two runs on two walks. Matt Milburn threw two-thirds of an inning and gave up one run on two hits with one strikeout. Will Stillman went the final two innings and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
UNCG starter Max Povse went five innings and gave up six runs, four of them earned, on five hits with three strikeouts. Tyler Frazier (1-2) threw 3.1 innings and allowed three runs on four hits with one strikeout. Dylan Hathcock picked up his third save of the season with two-thirds of an inning on the mound with one hit allowed and one strikeout.
In the second game, Wofford got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Alec Paradowki walked and stole second. He scored on a single to right field by Seth Neely for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, the Terriers took advantage of two errors and Clark Wise scored for a 2-0 advantage.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Wofford loaded the bases with two singles and a walk before a strikeout ended the scoring chance. In the bottom of the sixth the Terriers added two singles but could not add a run.
In the bottom of the seventh, Alec Paradowski led off with an error. A double to right center by Seth Neely scored Paradowski for a 3-0 lead. Neely stole third and scored on a bunt single by James Plaisted to make it a 4-0 game. The Spartans had a double to lead off the top of the eighth and a double by Zach Leach drove in Zac MacAneney for a 4-1 score.
The Terriers led off the bottom of the eighth with a double by Matthew Ramsay down the left line, but a double play erased the base runner. Matt Moore added a double with two outs, but he was stranded at third. The Spartans left one runner on base in the top of the ninth to end the contest.
Wofford starter Jesse Morris (4-1) went a season-high 7.2 innings and allowed one run on five hits. His 15 strikeouts were a career-high and set a new Wofford Division I era record. The previous mark was ten, set eight times and most recently by Morris against Marshall earlier this season. The fifteen strikeouts were the most for a Wofford pitcher since 1973. Eric Eck picked up his fifth save of the season with 1.1 innings on the mound and two strikeouts.
UNCG starter Lee Gilliam (1-1) worked six innings and allowed only two runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Dominique Vattuone went two innings and gave up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
Wofford and UNCG will complete the three-game series on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. weather permitting.
