SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team opened a weekend Southern Conference series with a 5-4 win over Mercer. The Terriers led 4-1 after four innings and added a run in the sixth inning. The Bears scored twice in the seventh and once in the eighth, but the Terriers retired the side in order in the ninth for the victory.
                    
Wofford is 26-25 on the season and 11-8 in the Southern Conference. Mercer is 36-12 overall and 15-4 in league play to sit in first place. The Terriers were led by Brett Hash with two home runs and three RBIs, while McClain Bradley had a pair of doubles and a home run. Alex Hanson had two hits and drove in two runs to lead Mercer.
 
The Bears had a single with two outs in the top of the first inning, but the runner was picked off to end the opening half. With one out in the bottom of the first, McClain Bradley singled but was caught stealing second. A solo home run by Brett Hash to right center gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead. It was the 12^th home run of the season for Hash. Wofford added a single by Carson Waln before a strikeout ended the first. Mercer left one runner on base in the top of the second.  Wofford had a single by Alex Malsch with one out followed by a fielder's choice. Malsch moved to third on a wild pitch and Brett Rodriguez walked, but a strikeout ended the second inning.
 
Mercer had back-to-back singles to begin the third inning. With one out a double scored a run to tie the game at 1-1, but two runners were left on base. McClain Bradley led off the bottom of the third with a double to right center. Brett Hash followed with a home run over the fence in right field to give Wofford a 3-1 advantage. It marked his second career game with two home runs. Reed Massey added a single before a fly ball ended the third frame.
 
After Mercer was retired in order in the top of the fourth, the Terriers had two outs when Kody Ruedisili cleared the fence in right center for a 4-1 lead. It was his fifth home run of the season. Both teams had singles in the fifth inning and left one runner on base. The Bears stranded one runner on base in the sixth inning after a walk.
 
Max McDougald led off the bottom of the sixth with a double and he moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. A single through the left side by Brett Rodriguez scored McDougald for a 5-1 lead. Rodriguez moved to third on a wild pitch and error and McClain Bradley walked, but a fly ball ended the sixth inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Bears had runners on the corner with one out after a walk and single. A sacrifice fly added a run and an RBI double cut the lead to 5-3 in the middle of the seventh. Mack Nathanson walked with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to advance. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Jackson Ware hit a solo home run and made it a 5-4 game. Kody Ruedisili walked with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. On a single by McClain Bradley, Ruedisili was caught in a rundown between third and home to end the eighth inning. Mercer was retired in order in the top of the ninth to end the game.
 
Adam Scott (6-4) started for the Terriers and went seven innings with three runs allowed on seven hits. He struck out eight and walked three batters. He now has 100 strikeouts on the season, becoming just the seventh played in school history to reach the milestone in a single season. Reece Maniscalco earned his first save of the season by allowing one run on one hit and striking out two batters in the final two innings.
 
Mercer starter Ryan Askew (4-1) went five innings with four runs allowed on nine hits, along with two strikeouts. Christian Vann worked an inning with one run allowed on two hits and he struck out one.  Nick Spear threw an inning and did not allow a hit with one strikeout. Chase Burks gave up one hit in a third of an inning.
 
The Terriers and Mercer will play a doubleheader on Sunday, May 14, to complete the series and end the home slate of games at King Field. The regular season will end next weekend at The Citadel.