SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Saturday afternoon, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 14-4 by Western Carolina at Russell C. King Field. The Catamounts put the game away early with three runs in the first inning and seven runs in the third inning.
 
Wofford is 16-12 overall and 1-4 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 13-13 overall and 4-1 in league play, along with securing a win of the weekend series. The teams combined for 29 hits in the contest - Western Carolina with 16 and Wofford with 13 - and 24 combined runners left on base. The Terriers were led by Reed Massey with a 3-for-3 performance from the plate with a home run. Matt Smith led the Catamounts with three hits, while three players had three RBIs each.
 
The Catamounts loaded the bases with an infield single and a pair of walks to open the game. A single with one out drove in a run, while a single through the left side by Kramer Ferrell plated two more runs as Western Carolina led 3-0 after the top of the first inning. McClain Bradley singled with two outs for the Terriers in the bottom of the first. Carson Waln added a single, but Bradley was caught stealing third to end the first frame.
 
Western Carolina left one runner on base in the top of the second inning. The Terriers had single by Cody Miller and a walk by Mack Nathanson in the bottom of the second, but a fielder's choice ended the inning. The Catamounts had a pair of batters hit by pitch and a walk to load the bases with one out in the top of the third. A double down the left field line by J.D. Long drove in two runs to make it a 5-0 lead. The bases were loaded again with two outs when a walk plated a run. A single by Matt Smith added two more runs. Back-to-back RBI singles pushed the score to 10-0 before a strikeout ended the top half of the third.
 
In the bottom of the third, Wofford had a pair of runners on base after a walk to Derek Hirsch and a single by Carson Waln. A strike out left both runners stranded at the end of the third. The Catamounts led off the fourth with a solo home run by Spencer Holcomb for an 11-0 lead. With two outs and one runner on, a home run to left center by Bryson Bowman made it 13-0 in the middle of the fourth inning.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Mack Nathanson hit a solo home run to center field to cut the lead to 13-1. It was his fourth home run this season. The Catamounts were retired in order in the top of the fifth inning. Wofford led off the bottom of the fifth with a single by Derek Hirsch. A walk and then a single by Reed Massey loaded the bases with one out. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the fifth inning with three runners stranded.
 
After the Catamounts were caught stealing to end the top of the sixth inning, Alec Paradowski hit a two-out triple to left center in the bottom half. Walks to Derek Hirsch and Chandler Engel loaded the bases, but a strike out ended the scoring chance. Western Carolina added two hits in the top of the seventh, but was unable to score. Wofford led off the bottom of the seventh with an infield single by Reed Massey. With two outs, a triple to right center by Max McDougald scored Massey. McDougald scored on a wild pitch to make it a 13-3 game at the end of the seventh inning.
 
A walk led off the top of the eighth for the Catamounts. A double was followed by a sacrifice fly for a 14-3 score and Western Carolina stranded two runners to end the top half. Alec Paradowski led off the bottom of the eighth by being hit by a pitch, but three straight strikeouts ended the eighth.
 
In the top of the ninth, Western Carolina opened with a single before three straight strikeouts. Reed Massey led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run to left centerfield. It was his first career home run. Dylan May added a single before a double play ended the game with a 14-4 final score.
 
Wofford starting pitcher Adam Scott (3-3) went 2.2 innings and allowed eight runs on five hits. He walked five batters and struck out three. Spencer Kulman threw a third of an inning with two runs given up on three hits and one strikeout. Grant Byers worked an inning with three runs allowed on three hits. Chris Sheehan tied a career-high with three innings pitched and did not allow a run on a pair of hits, along with one strikeout. Will Fuqua gave up one run on a hit and had one strikeout in an inning. Austin Higginbotham struck out three batters and gave up one hit in the ninth.
 
Bryan Sammons (4-1) started for Western Carolina and threw six innings with one run allowed on nine hits. Sammons walked five batters and struck out nine. Corey Sikes earned the save by going the final three innings with three runs allowed on four hits, plus six strikeouts.
 
Wofford and Western Carolina will play Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to complete the weekend Southern Conference series. The Terriers will travel to Baylor for a pair of games on Tuesday and Wednesday.