SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In the Southern Conference opener, the Wofford College baseball team needed ten innings and a walk-off home run to defeat Furman 9-8 on Friday night at Russell C. King Field. The Paladins scored twice in the eighth to take a lead, but the Terriers tied things at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth. In the tenth inning, Furman scored four runs. Wofford rallied and scored three runs and had a runner on base when Mack Nathanson cleared the fence in left field for the walk-off win.
                    
Wofford is 10-13 on the season and begin conference play 1-0, while Furman is 10-10 overall. The Terriers were led by Mack Nathanson with two home runs and three RBIs on the night, while Carson Waln and Kody Ruedisili added two hits each. Brandon Elmy led the Paladins with three hits and a pair of RBIs.
 
The Paladins left one runner on base in the top of the first after a walk. Kody Ruedisili took the first pitch off the foul pole down the left field line for a 1-0 lead. It was his second home run of the season. McClain Bradley added a double, but was left on base at the end of the first. Furman had a hit in the top of the second, but the runner was caught stealing to end the top half. Wofford was retired in order to end the frame.
 
Furman had a single in the top of the third, but the runner was stranded at second. The Terriers went in order in the bottom half of the third and the Paladins added a single with one out in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Jabari Richards cleared the fence in left center to give the Paladins a 2-1 advantage.
 
Brett Hash tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off homer to left center. It was his seventh home run this season. Carson Waln added a single and stole second, but was unable to score. Both teams were retired in order in the fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, the Paladins had a single with one out. The runner was caught stealing and then Brandon Elmy hit a double, but a fly ball ended the top half.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Paladins led off with a hit by pitch and the runner moved to second on a wild pitch. After moving to third on a passed ball with one out, a line out and ground out ended the scoring chance. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Mack Nathanson cleared the fence in left center with his sixth home run of the season for a 3-2 lead.
 
With one out in the top of the eighth, the Paladins had a single. After a fly ball for out number two, Brandon Elmy hit a home run over the fence in right center as Furman regained the lead at 4-3. The Terriers had two outs in the bottom of the eighth when Andrew Orzel singled, but a strikeout ended the frame. The Paladins were retired in order in the top of the ninth. McClain Bradley walked to lead off the bottom of the ninth and Carson Waln reached on a fielder's choice. A strikeout and stolen base moved Waln to second. A two out single to right field by Max McDougald drove in Waln to tie the game at four.
 
The Paladins had runners on the corners with one out in the top of the tenth. A double by Sky Overton plated a run for a 5-4 lead and an intentional walk loaded the bases. An infield fly was the second out, but an error on a fielder's choice plate a run for a 6-4 advantage. A single to left field by Dillon Love drove in two more runs for an 8-4 score before a fielder's choice ended the top half.
 
Brett Rodriguez led off the bottom of the tenth with a double and he scored on a single by Kody Ruedisili. Brett Hash doubled and the Terriers had runners on second and third with one out. A sacrifice fly by McClain Bradley made it 8-6 and an RBI single from Carson Waln cut the lead to one. On a 0-1 count, Mack Nathanson cleared the fence in left field with his second home run of the day to give the Terriers a 9-8 walk-off win.
 
Adam Scott started for the Terriers and went seven innings with two runs allowed on six hits, while striking out four. Reece Maniscalco allowed two runs on two hits and struck out a pair of batters in an inning. Merritt Huber had one strikeout in an inning on the mound and did not allow a hit. Jordan Accetta went two-thirds of an inning and gave up four runs on four hits, however only one run was earned. Jake Hershman (1-0) recorded his first career win by not allowing a hit in a third of an inning.
 
Furman starter Will Gaddis, the 2016 SoCon Pitcher of the Year, went 8.2 innings with four runs allowed on seven hits. He struck out ten batters and walked one. Jake Crawford (0-1) threw the final inning with five runs allowed on five hits.
 
Wofford and Furman will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. to complete the conference series, as rain is forecast for Sunday.