MACON, Ga. – The Wofford College baseball team opened the Southern Conference slate with a 12-7 loss at Mercer at Claude Smith Field. The Bears took an 8-0 lead through four innings before the game was suspended by rain and lightning on Thursday night. Once play resumed on Friday afternoon, the Terriers outscored the Bears seven to four for the final margin.
 
Wofford is 15-8 on the season, while Mercer is 14-8 overall. The Terriers were led by Alec Paradowski with two hits and three RBIs, with Chandler Engel adding two hits. Hunter Bening led the Bears with two hits and three RBIs.
 
Alec Paradowski opened the game with a single, but he was stranded at second base. In the bottom of the first, the Bears had runners at first and second. With two outs, a double by Charlie Madden drove in two runs. Ben Upton then cleared the wall in right field for a 2-run home run and the Bears had a 4-0 lead at the end of the first.
 
After the Terriers were retired in order in the top of the second, the Bears led off with a single and moved the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. A strikeout and fielder's choice ended the second inning. Wofford was retired in order to begin the third inning. Mercer had two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the third inning when a single up the middle by Hunter Bening drove in a run. A fielder's choice added a run for a 6-0 lead before the runner at first was picked off to end the third inning. To begin the fourth inning, Wofford was retired in order. Mercer began their half of the fourth with a single and a walk. An error and a single plated two more runs to give the Bears an 8-0 advantage at the end of the fourth inning.
 
In the top of the fifth, Carson Waln led off with a double to right field. Due to lightning, a delay began and an hour later the game was suspended. When play resumed on Friday, Demetrius Jennings walked and a double steal gave Wofford runners in scoring position. A single up the middle by Chandler Engel drove in a run, with Jennings scoring from third on a wild pitch for an 8-2 score. A single by Derek Hirsch loaded the bases, but all three runners were left on base in the middle of the fifth. The Terriers turned a 3-6-1 double play to end the fifth inning.
 
With two outs in the top of the sixth, Wofford had runners on the corners after a walk to Demetrius Jennings and a hit-and-run single by Chandler Engel. A double steal attempt allowed Jennings to score, but Engel was out in a rundown to second for an 8-3 score. The Bears stranded two runners to end the sixth inning and a double play ended the Wofford half of the seventh inning.
 
Mercer opened the bottom of the seventh with a single and with one out Hunter Bening hit a home run to left center for a 10-3 lead. Back-to-back singles were followed by a two-out RBI single. A walk loaded the bases before a strikeout stranded three runners with Mercer leading 11-3 at the end of seven. Wofford was retired in order in the top of the eighth inning.
 
The Bears added a run on a two-out double for a 12-4 game at the conclusion of eight innings. Reed Massey was hit by a pitch to lead off the ninth and Dylan May followed with a single. On a fielder's choice by Chandler Engel, an error allowed Massey to score. A strikeout was followed by a three-run shot by Alec Paradowski over the fence in right center to make it a 12-7 game. It was the fourth home run of the season for Paradowski. Wofford left one runner on base to end the game.
 
Wofford starting pitcher Matt Milburn (4-2) threw four innings and gave up eight runs on eight hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Grant Byers went 2.1 innings with two runs allowed on two hits. David Ehmen worked two-thirds of an inning in his first appearance of the season with one run on three hits, plus a strikeout Quintin Pile gave up one run on two hits in an inning with one strikeout.
 
Josh Knies (1-1) started for Mercer and went four innings with two hits allowed and five strikeouts, along with one run. C.J. Martin gave up one run on one hit and two walks. Conard Broom worked two innings with one run allowed on two hits and two strikeouts. Cornell Brown added two innings without allowing a hit and one strikeout. Andrew Kane worked the ninth and gave up four runs on two hits with a strikeout.
 
Wofford and Mercer will also play at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night and then conclude the series at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.