SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After a back and forth beginning, a dominant performance in the final three innings guided the Wofford College baseball team to a 12-7 win and series sweep of the Coppin State Eagles on Wednesday evening at Russell C. King Field.
 
The win over the Eagles improves the Terriers to 18-5 this season, marking the best 23-game start in the program's Division I era.
 
After six innings, Wofford and Coppin State were all knotted up with seven runs each. With the game on the line, the Terriers stepped up.
 
Spencer Kulman helped get the job done on the mound. At the top of the seventh, he retired three straight, forcing a foul out before grounding out the next two batters.
 
In the bottom of the inning, the Terriers made their move. Following a pop up from Conor Clancey, freshman Max McDougald remained patient at the plate and was walked by Jhar Devilme. Junior Derek Hirsch then set up the winning runs, sending the ball down the right field line for a double. Devilme managed to strike out Alec Paradowski before walking Matt Ramsay to load the bases.
 
With just one out left to go, Coppin State head coach Sherman Reed called for a pitching change, bringing in Anderson Burgess to end the inning.
 
James Plaisted had other plans.
 
A clutch single from the senior sent both Hirsch and McDougald home, as Ramsay advanced to second. With two outs still on the scoreboard, both Ramsay and Plaisted stole bases. An error by Coppin State's Bryant Miranda then brought Ramsay in to score. Matt Pelt reached second base on a steal before a ground ball from Carson Waln ended the inning.
 
Kulman continued to impress in the eighth. Despite walking two Eagles, the sophomore struck out three batters swinging to leave the penultimate inning unscathed.
 
Wofford used the bottom of the eighth to secure the game. Kody Ruedisili began the inning with a bang, doubling to left field. Clancey struck out swinging, but an impressive bunt from McDougald put the freshman on base while safely pushing Ruedisili to third. Hirsch popped out on an attempted bunt, but McDougald didn't need the attempted sacrifice, stealing second on the next pitch. Paradowski stepped up to the plate and lobbed a two-bagger to left field to secure two more runs for the Terriers.
 
The five-run cushion proved to be enough as junior Will Stillman relieved Kulman in the final frame. After a single from George Dragon, Stillman struck out Lance Montano. A grounder to third forced out Dragon, as Miranda reached first. Stillman ended the game in style, as William Brown struck out looking.
 
The first six innings were neck-and-neck, with both sides scoring seven runs. Pelt had a RBI single to start things off, before a sac fly by Ruedisili sent Ramsay home. Clancey hit one of his two doubles of the game for two RBI to round out the first inning.
 
A big single by Jacquez Hunn led to the only scoring in the second, bringing in Miranda. Coppin State made their biggest push in the third, scoring four runs on grounders by Mendez and Dragon with help from a Terriers error.
 
Wofford responded with three runs of their own. Waln turned a walk into two bases, stealing second. The sophomore then capitalized on Coppin State's miscues, advancing to third on an error before scoring on a wild pitch. Another Clancey double led to a Ruedisili run. Clancey would score on a grounder from Hirsch before the end of the inning.
 
Coppin State scored twice more before the Terriers put away the game in the final innings.
 
Kulman earned the win for Wofford, improving to a 5-1 record on the year. Coppin State's Yayha Muhammad moves to 0-5 this season.
 
The Terriers take back to the field on Friday for a weekend series against VMI to open Southern Conference play. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.