SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In the opening game of a weekend series, the Wofford College baseball team withstood a late rally to earn a 5-3 win over Ohio University on Friday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers led 5-0 after five innings, but the Bobcats answered with a run in the eighth and two in the ninth before a pop fly with the tying runner at the plate ended the contest.
 
Wofford is 8-2 on the season, while Ohio University is 3-5 overall. The Terriers were led by Alec Paradowski with a4-of-4 performance from the plate with an RBI. Matt Milburn went eight innings on the mound, allowing just one run with eight strikeouts. The Bobcats were held to seven hits in the contest.
 
The Bobcats had a pair of singles in the top of the first inning, but the runners were stranded in scoring position. Alec Paradowski led off the Wofford half of the first with a triple to right center. A single by Max McDougald scored Paradowski for an early 1-0 lead. After Carson Waln was hit by a pitch, a sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position before a pair of strikeouts ended the first inning.
 
Wofford turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the top of the second inning. With two outs in the bottom of the second, Demetrius Jennings hit a triple and scored on an infield single by Alec Paradowski. The Terriers took a 2-0 lead into the third inning. The Bobcats left one runner on base in the top half of the third.
 
With one out in the bottom of the third inning, three straight walks loaded the bases for Wofford. A sacrifice fly by McClain Bradley plated one run, but a strikeout ended the third inning as the Terriers held a 3-0 advantage.
 
In the fourth inning, Ohio was retired in order and Wofford left one runner on base. Ohio had a one-out double by Nate Squires and he moved to third on a wild pitch. A strikeout and pop-up ended the scoring chance in the top of the fifth inning. Wofford led off the bottom half of the fifth with a walk by Brett Hash and a single by Cody Miller. After advancing on a wild pitch, a single by Kody Ruedisili plated a run and a sacrifice bunt by Alex Malsh pushed across Miller for a 5-0 advantage.
 
Ohio was retired in order in the top of the sixth inning and a double play ended the Wofford half of the sixth. The Bobcats were also retired in order in the top of the seventh. Brett Hash led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, which was followed by back-to-back fielder's choices. A hit by McClain Bradley gave the Terriers runners on second and third, but a diving catch by Tony Giannini in left field ended the Wofford scoring chance.
 
To lead off the eighth, the Bobcats had runners on the corners after a walk and a single. A sacrifice fly by Manny DeJesus plated a run for a 5-1 score and a double play ended the top of the eighth. Alec Paradowski had a one-out double in the bottom of the eighth. He moved to third on a deep fly ball, but a ground out ended the inning. The Bobcats led off with Mitch Longo reaching second on an error and he moved to third on a balk. A home run by Rudy Rott to right field cut the score to 5-3 with one out. After another single, the tying run came to the plate. A strikeout and pop fly ended the game.
 
Wofford pitcher Matt Milburn (3-0) threw eight innings and allowed only one run on five hits. He struck out eight batters and walked just one. Will Stillman went the ninth inning and gave up two runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.  
 
Jake Miller (1-2) started for Ohio and went four innings with three runs allowed on five hits, along with five strikeouts. Michael Klein worked four innings and gave up two runs on four hits with one strikeout.
 
Wofford and Ohio will continue the weekend series with a pair of nine-inning games on Saturday beginning at 2:00 p.m. On Sunday the teams will play at 1:00 p.m.