SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Valentine's Day, the Wofford College baseball team defeated Xavier 11-3 at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers pitching staff recorded 18 strikeouts, while the offense came up with 13 hits to put together a complete team victory.
 
Wofford is 2-0 on the season, while Xavier is 1-2 overall. Pitcher Luke Leftwich threw five innings with 9 strikeouts, while John Caskey earned the save with four innings on the mound and 9 strikeouts. Matt Ramsay and Matt Pelt each had three hits in the game, with Pelt hitting a 3-run homer. Mack Nathanson added a 3-run homer and James Plaisted had a 2-run shot.
 
The Musketeers began the game with back-to-back singles. With one out, another single loaded the bases. A single by Brian Bruening drove in two runs before a pair of strikeouts ended the top half of the first. Alec Paradowski led off with a walk for the Terriers. With one out, James Plaisted blasted a shot down the left field line that cleared the fence to tie the game at 2-2.
 
In the second inning, Xavier stranded one runner and Wofford left two on base. The Musketeers left one on base in the top of the third inning. Wofford led off the bottom of the third with a single by Matt Ramsay and a double by James Plaisted. Mack Nathanson then cleared the left center wall with a three-run homer. It was Nathanson's first career hit and gave Wofford a 5-2 lead. The Terriers left two on base at the end of the third inning.
 
Xavier got one run back on a solo home run by Chase Puente in the top of the fourth to make it a 5-3 game. Wofford left a runner on base in the bottom of the fourth, while the Musketeers left a runner on third base to end the top of the fifth inning.
 
Wofford led off the fifth with a walk to Demetrius Jennings and a single by Conor Clancey. After a sacrifice bunt by Kody Ruedisili advanced the runners, Matt Pelt drove a ball into the trees in left center with a three-run homer. The Terriers had an 8-3 lead. Alec Paradowski drew a walk on a 10 pitch at-bat with two outs, which was followed by an RBI double off the wall in left center by Matt Ramsay to push the lead to 9-3.
                                                                                                    
To open the sixth inning, Joe Forney walked for the Musketeers but a fly ball and a pair of strikeouts ended the top half. Wofford was retired in order to end the sixth inning. Xavier had a pair of singles in the top of the seventh, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the scoring opportunity. Wofford stranded one runner in the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Musketeers were retired in order in the top of the eighth, which included two strikeouts. In the Wofford half of the eighth, two runners were on base after a fielder's choice and a single by Mack Nathanson.  With two outs, Conor Clancey hit a fly ball to centerfield that dropped in for a single. Both runners scored to make it an 11-3 contest. In the top of the ninth, a ground ball and a pair of strikeouts ended the game.
 
Wofford starting pitcher Luke Leftwich (1-0) threw five innings with three runs allowed on seven hits. He had nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Sophomore John Caskey, in his first action in almost a year, recorded the save by going the final four innings. He struck out a career-high nine batters with only one walk and allowed only two hits.
                                                                                             
Eric Stiene (0-1) started for Xavier and went four innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Garrett Schilling worked an inning and gave up four runs on three hits with a strikeout. Daniel Przeniczny went the final three innings and allowed two runs on one hit with three strikeouts.
 
Wofford will face Dayton on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to close out the opening weekend. On Wednesday afternoon, the Terriers will travel to Presbyterian College.