SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In the first midweek game of the season, the Wofford College baseball team defeated USC Upstate 6-3 on Wednesday night at Russell C. King Field. In windy and at times rainy conditions, the Terriers used a four-run fifth inning to secure the win.
 
Wofford opens at 4-0 for the second straight season, while USC Upstate is 3-1. Every Terrier batter had at least one hit in the game, led by Carson Waln with three hits and an RBI. The Spartans were led by Charlie Carpenter, who had a solo home run and pitched the final 1.2 innings.
 
In the first inning, the Spartans left one runner on base. The Terriers loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a fielder's choice. An infield single with one out by Carson Waln drove in the first run of the game, but Wofford left the bases loaded to end the inning.
 
With one out in the top of the fourth and rain falling, Charlie Carpenter hit a solo home run to tie the game at one. An error and single with two outs gave the Spartans runners on the corners, but both were left on base in the middle of the inning. The Terriers were retired on a double play and strikeout in the bottom of the fourth.
 
A double by Cody Brittain led off the top of the fifth for the Spartans. A hit by pitch and sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. A sacrifice fly gave USC Upstate a 2-1 lead before a strikeout ended the top half. Demetrius Jennings opened the bottom of the fifth with a single. Alec Paradowski reached on an error and moved to second. A double by Max McDougald drove in Jennings for a 2-2 score and a double by Kody Ruedisili pushed across Paradowski for a 3-2 lead. Brett Hash added an RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Cody Miller made it a 5-2 game at the end of five innings.
 
The Spartans were retired in order in the top of the sixth inning and Alex Malsch led off the bottom of the sixth with a double down the left line. Demetrius Jennings was hit by a pitch and Alec Paradowski had a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out, but the Terriers were unable to plate a run.
 
In the seventh inning, the Spartans opened with a double and a hit by pitch. A single to right field loaded the bases. A double play allowed one run to score before a strikeout sent the game to the seventh inning stretch. Carson Waln and Cody Miller singled to start the Wofford half of the seventh. A double to right center by McClain Bradley drove in Waln for a 6-3 lead, but the Terriers left the bases loaded for the second straight inning.
 
Both teams left one runner on base in the eighth inning. The Spartans had two hits in the top of the ninth inning, but were unable to score and Wofford came away with the victory.
 
Wofford pitcher John Caskey started the first four innings and allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts. Austin Higginbotham allowed one run on one hit in a third of an inning. Elliot Lance (1-0) worked 2.1 innings with one run allowed on two hits and three strikeouts. Jordan Accetta went one and a third with three strikeouts. Will Stillman earned his third save of the season by going the ninth inning and not allowing a run on two hits.
 
Tyler Jackson (0-1) started for the Spartans and worked four innings with five runs allowed on five hits. He recorded six strikeouts and walked three batters.  Zach Mitchell threw two innings with three hits allowed and two strikeouts. Jordan Miller added a third of an inning with three hits and a run allowed with one strikeout. Charlie Carpenter moved from catcher to pitcher and went the final 1.2 innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed.
 
This weekend the Terriers will host Rider on Friday, Evansville on Saturday, and UNC Asheville on Sunday at Russell C. King Field.