Box Score Game Box (pdf)
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team was defeated 9-3 by South Carolina at Carolina Stadium on Wednesday night. The Terriers had a 3-2 advantage through six innings, but the Gamecocks scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh to put the game out of reach.
Wofford is now 20-31 on the season. South Carolina is 34-14 overall and ranked as high as #12 in this week’s national rankings. The Terriers were led by Alec Paradowski with three hits on the night. The Gamecocks had three hits from Chase Vergason and two RBIs each from Joey Pankake and Tanner English.
The Terriers had back-to-back singles by Alec Paradowski and Josh Hyman in the top of the first inning. A single by Seth Neely drove in Paradowski for a run and a sacrifice fly by James Plaisted made it 2-0. South Carolina got one run back on a lead-off homer by Max Schrock for a 2-1 score after the first inning.
After both teams were retired in order in the second, Alec Paradowski added a two-out single in the top of the third and James Plaisted singled in the top of the fourth, but both were stranded. The Gamecocks had two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth after walks but were unable to plate a run.
In the top of the sixth, Alec Paradowski led off with a single. A single by Seth Neely along with a fielding error allowed Paradowski to score for a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, South Carolina loaded the bases with a walk, double, and hit by pitch. A hit by pitch to Sean Sullivan allowed one run to score, but three runners were stranded to end the inning with a 3-2 score.
Wofford had a two-out double by Matthew Kaskow in the top of the seventh, but he was left on base. South Carolina had a single from Chase Vergason in the bottom of the seventh. Joey Pankake then hit a home run over the right field wall for a 4-3 lead. A RBI double by Grayson Greiner pushed the score to 5-3. Greiner moved to third and scored on two wild pitches for a 6-3 advantage. With two runners on base, a single by Tanner English made it an 8-3 game after seven innings.
The Terriers had one runner reach base in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Gamecocks added a run on an RBI single from Chase Vergason for a 9-3 score. South Carolina had the bases loaded with two outs when a strikeout ended the scoring chance. Wofford was retired in order in the top of the ninth to end the game.
Wofford starter Matt Milburn went four innings with one run allowed on two hits along with six strikeouts. Bradley Evsich threw a third of an inning with one hit and a strikeout. J.D. Osborne worked an inning and allowed one run. Will Stillman (2-2) went an inning and gave up two runs on three hits. Connell Anderson allowed two runs on two hits in a third of an inning. Tanner Hawley gave up one run on two hits while pitching for a third of an inning. Eric Eck went an inning with one run allowed on two hits with two strikeouts.
South Carolina starter Curt Britt threw three innings and allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Colby Holmes went three innings and gave up one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout. Adam Westmoreland (6-1) threw 1.2 innings with one hit allowed and two strikeouts. Patrick Sullivan did not allow a hit in a third of an inning. Joel Seddon threw the ninth inning and did not allow a hit with two strikeouts.
Wofford will begin the final Southern Conference series of the season at Western Carolina on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. in Cullowhee.
