SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In the final game of the weekend series, the Wofford College baseball team built a big lead and held on after a late rally to defeat Samford 12-9 on Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers led 11-0 after five innings, but the Bulldogs answered with the next nine runs. Wofford added a run in the bottom of the eighth and Samford had the tying run at the plate in the top of the ninth when a strikeout ended the game.
Wofford is 30-15 overall and 8-6 in the Southern Conference to sit in third place. Samford is 23-19 overall, with a 10-5 mark in conference play. The Terriers won the weekend series against Samford for the second straight season. Wofford had 13 hits on the day, led by Matt Ramsay with three. Austin Edens led the Bulldogs with two hits and five RBIs.
The Bulldogs were retired in order in the top of the first inning. With one out in the bottom of the first, Matt Ramsay singled and scored on a double down the left line by James Plaisted. Wofford had a 1-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
In the top of the second, the Bulldogs went in order. For the second out, Matt Ramsay made a diving catch in left field. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom half of the second. The Bulldogs had a single with two outs in the top of the third inning, but the runner was stranded at second base.
Derek Hirsch led off the bottom of the third with a single and James Plaisted earned a walk with two outs. Conor Clancey then hit a double to right center to score both runners as Wofford took a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs were retired in order in the top of the fourth inning.
To lead off the bottom of the fourth, Kody Ruedisili doubled to left field. Mack Nathanson followed with a single for runners on the corners. Ruedisili was out at home on a fielder's choice and a fly ball gave the Terriers two outs. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and on a throwing error Nathanson scored for a 4-0 lead.
Samford was retired in order in the top of the fifth inning. With one out in the Wofford half of the fifth, James Plaisted doubled to left center field. Carson Waln walked with two outs and Kody Ruedisili was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mack Nathans hit a single to left field to drive in a pair of runs for a 6-0 lead. Max McDougald added an RBI single. Derek Hirsch reached on an infield single, which combined with an error scored two more runs for an 8-0 lead. Alec Paradowski reached on an error and a single by Matt Ramsay combined to plate three more runs as the Terriers took an 11-0 lead after five complete innings.
The Bulldogs had three singles to load the bases in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs Austin Edens cleared the bases with his 12th home run of the season, cutting the lead to 11-4. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth inning. Samford added a pair of base runners in the top of the seventh on a single and an error. A walk with two outs loaded the bases and a double to the fence in left center by Heath Quinn drove in three runs for an 11-7 score. Another double by Austin Edens added a run to make it 11-8 before a fielder's choice ended the top half. The Terriers were retired in order in the bottom of the seventh.
With one out in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs had back-to-back singles to have runners on the corners. A fielder's choice by T.J. Dixon drove in a run for an 11-9 game before a strikeout ended the top half. The Terriers had runners on the corners with two outs after singles by Matt Ramsay and Conor Clancey. With Demetrius Jennings pinch running, he scored from third on a wild pitch for a 12-9 advantage before a fly ball ended the eighth inning.
The lead-off batter in the top of the ninth for Samford drew a walk. A strikeout was followed by a runner reaching on an error. With runners on the corners and the tying run at the plate, back-to-back strikeouts looking ended the game.
Wofford starting pitcher Adam Scott (6-2) worked six innings with four runs allowed on six hits, along with two strikeouts. Connell Anderson gave up two runs on a hit in two-thirds of an inning. Elliot Lance allowed two runs on two hits. Will Stillman went one and a third and did not allow a hit with four strikeouts. It was his 13th save of the season, setting a new single season mark at Wofford. The previous record was 12 set by Eric Eck in 2014.
Parker Curry (6-4) started for Samford and went four and a third innings with five runs allowed on seven hits. He struck out four and issued one walk. Mark Donham went a third of an inning and gave up five runs on three hits. Caleb Maggio allowed one run on one hit in 1.1 innings. Tristan Widra threw an inning and did not allow a hit. Andres Gracia went the final inning with one run allowed on two hits and a strikeout.
The Terriers will travel to UNCG for a weekend series beginning on Friday, May 1.
