SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In a game that began Friday night and ended on Saturday afternoon, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 13-7 by Mercer at Russell C. King Field. With Wofford leading Mercer 6-5 after five innings, the game was suspended due to rain. When the game resumed, the Bears scored four unanswered runs to take the lead and added four runs in the top of the ninth to secure a win in the first game of the weekend series.
 
Wofford is 27-13 overall and 5-5 in the Southern Conference. Mercer is 23-15, with a 10-3 mark in conference play. Both teams had 13 hits in the game, but five of the hits for the Bears went for extra bases. The Terriers were led by Conor Clancey with two hits and five RBIs, while Alec Paradowski and Matt Ramsay each added three hits. Mercer was led by Devin Bonin with two hits and four RBIs.
 
In the top of the first inning, Kyle Lewis had a double for Mercer with two outs. He was left on base after a strikeout.  Wofford began the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles from Alec Paradowski and Matt Ramsay. A bunt single by James Plaisted loaded the bases and a triple by Conor Clancey down the right field line cleared them for a 3-0 lead. A ground out by Carson Waln scored Clancey to make it 4-0 at the end of the first inning.
 
After Mercer was retired in order in the top of the second inning, Wofford left one runner on base in the bottom of the inning following a single by Alec Paradowski. With two outs, Mercer loaded the bases in the top of the third after a walk and two batters hit by pitch. A single by Danny Edgeworth drove in a pair of runs for a 4-2 score. The Bears left two runners on base to end the inning. Wofford went down in order in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Both teams were retired in order in the fourth inning. Mercer had a pair of singles in the top of the fifth inning. With two out, Danny Edgeworth struck out swinging but was safe at first on an error. An infield single by Jackson Ware with the bases loaded drove in one run to make it a 4-3 game. With the bases still loaded, a single by Howard Joe plated two runs to give Mercer a 5-4 lead. A strikeout ended the top of the fifth inning.
 
Alec Paradowski led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk and Matt Ramsay followed with a single. James Plaisted put down a sacrifice bunt and was safe at first on a throwing error to load the bases. A single to left field by Conor Clancey drove in two runs to regain the lead at 6-5. At the end of the fifth inning, the game entered a rain delay and it was suspended.
 
When play resumed on Saturday, the Bears loaded the bases with one out. A fielder's choice by Kyle Lewis plated the tying run and with two outs a single by Danny Edgeworth gave Mercer a 7-6 advantage. Wofford was retired in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
With two outs in the top of the seventh, a triple was followed by a hit by pitch. A triple by Matt Meeder drove in both runners and Mercer had a 9-6 lead at the seventh inning stretch. Wofford led off the bottom of the seventh with a single by Matt Ramsay, but he failed to advance.
 
The Bears left one runner on base in the top of the eighth after a double. Matt Pelt opened the bottom of the eighth with a single. He moved to second on a balk and was on third when a single by Derek Hirsch cut the lead to 9-7. A single by Alec Paradowski gave the Terriers runners on the corners, but both were left on base to end the eighth inning.
 
Mercer loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with a single and a pair of walks. A grand slam by Devin Bonin over the fence in right field pushed the Mercer lead to 13-7. Wofford led off the bottom of the ninth with a single by James Plaisted. Matt Pelt was hit by a pitch with two outs, but a strikeout ended the game.
 
Wofford starting pitcher Matt Milburn threw five innings and allowed five runs on six hits. Only two of the runs were earned and he added five strikeouts. Luke Leftwich (3-2) took the mound when the game resumed and went 3.1 innings with six runs allowed on six hits, along with one strikeout. Spencer Kulman gave up one run and Connor Foltyn allowed a run in a third of an inning. Merritt Huber recorded an out to end the top of the ninth.
 
Eric Nyquist started for Mercer and went 4.1 innings with six runs allowed on eight hits. He struck out four and walked one batter. Mitchell Wade (3-1) threw 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit with one strikeout. Morgan Pittman worked the next 2.1 innings with one run allowed on four hits. Ben Lumsden worked the bottom of the ninth with one hit allowed and a pair of strikeouts.
 
Wofford will continue the series against Mercer on Saturday at approximately 2:45 p.m., with the third game scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m.