SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Wednesday night, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 4-3 by Winthrop at Russell C. King Field. The Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the second inning and added a run in the fourth for the win. The two teams split the home-and-home series this season.
Wofford is 21-18 overall and Winthrop is 19-19 on the season. The Terriers were held to five hits in the contest by five different players.
Cody Miller had a two-run homer in the fourth inning. The Eagles had seven hits, four of which were doubles.
The Eagles had two hits in the top of the first inning and left one runner on base.
Derek Hirsch led off the Wofford half of the first with a single, but was stranded at second base. Winthrop had runners on base after a double and hit by pitch. A wild pitch on a strikeout allowed a run to score and back-to-back doubles with two outs pushed the lead to 3-0. Wofford was retired in order to end the second inning.
After Winthrop was retired in order in the top of the third inning,
Derek Hirsch reached on a walk for the Terriers but was left on first. The Eagles led off the top of the fourth with a double. With runners at second and third, a sacrifice bunt scored a run for a 4-0 lead.
Alec Paradowski walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. After moving to second on a ground out and taking third on a wild pitch,
Cody Miller hit a home run over the fence in left field to make it a 4-2 game. It was the second home run of the season for Miller and the third of his career.
In the top of the fifth inning, Winthrop was retired in order.
Demetrius Jennings and
Max McDougald had infield singles to give Wofford runners on the corners with one out.
Alec Paradowski reached on a fielder's choice that scored Jennings for a 4-3 score at the end of the fifth inning. Both teams were retired in order in the sixth and seventh innings. Winthrop left one runner on base in the top of the eighth on a walk and Wofford was retired in order to end the eighth.
Winthrop had runners at first and second with two outs after an error and a single. A fielder's choice ended the top half of the ninth inning. With one out in the bottom of the ninth,
Brett Hash drew a pinch hit walk. With two outs,
Alex Malsch stole second as a pinch runner for Hash. A ground out ended the game.
Wofford starting pitcher
Austin Higginbotham (0-4) threw 3.2 innings with four runs allowed on six hits, along with three strikeouts.
Elliot Lance went 2.1 innings and did not allow a hit with two strikeouts as he retired seven straight batters.
Adam Scott threw two innings and had two strikeouts while not allowing a hit.
Jordan Accetta went the final inning with one hit allowed and a strikeout.
Reece Green (1-1) started for Winthrop and went five innings with three runs allowed on five hits, plus four strikeouts. Thomas Williams earned his first save of the season by going four innings without allowing a hit and striking out one.
The Terriers will head to VMI for a weekend series beginning Friday night at 6:00 p.m. in Lexington, Virginia.
