COLUMBIA, S.C. – On Wednesday night, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 9-5 by the University of South Carolina at Founders Park. The Gamecocks scored four runs in the first inning and had a 7-2 lead after six innings. The Terriers added two runs in the seventh and one run in the eighth inning, but the Gamecocks added two runs in the bottom of the eighth for the 9-5 final score.
Wofford is 24-21 on the season and #25 South Carolina is 26-17 overall. The Terriers were led by
McClain Bradley with two hits, while
Reed Massey had a solo home run. Jacob Olson led the Gamecocks with three hits.
After Wofford struck out in order in the top of the first inning, the Gamecocks led off the bottom half with a double. A single drove in the first run of the game and with one out a single gave South Carolina runners on the corners. A double made it a 2-0 lead and a fielding error plated a run. They took a 4-0 lead on a double steal attempt to end the first inning.
Carson Waln and
Mack Nathanson led off the second inning with back-to-back walks.
Reed Massey reached on a fielding error on a bunt to load the bases. A ground out by
Max McDougald drove in Waln for a 4-1 score, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the top half. The Gamecocks had a single in the bottom of the second and the runner was picked off to end the frame.
Kody Ruedisili led off the third inning with a walk and
McClain Bradley doubled. Ruedisili scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 4-2 in the middle of the third.
The Gamecocks were retired in order in the bottom of the third inning and the Terriers went in order in the top of the fourth. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Ross Grosvenor hit a solo home run for a 5-2 advantage.
Kody Ruedisili reached on a walk in the top of the fifth, but was caught stealing second.
A walk and single opened the bottom of the fifth for the Gamecocks. A sacrifice fly added a run for a 6-2 lead at the end of five innings.
Brett Hash walked to lead off the top of the sixth and
Carson Waln followed with a double, but the Terriers were unable to plate a run. Riley Hogan hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it a 7-2 advantage.
In the top of the seventh,
Alex Malsch was hit by a pitch with one out.
McClain Bradley singled with two outs to give the Terriers runners on the corners and a wild pitch allowed Malsch to score for a 7-3 game. A single by
Brett Hash scored Bradley to make it a 7-4 game at the seventh inning stretch. The Gamecocks had a single and walk in the seventh, but both runners were stranded to end the frame.
Wofford had two outs in the top of the eighth when
Reed Massey hit his fifth home run of the season over the wall in left field to cut the lead to 7-5. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, a walk was followed by a home run by Alex Destino to push the lead to 9-5. The Gamecocks added a double with two outs, but the runner was stranded at the end of the inning. In the top of the ninth, the Terriers were retired in order to end the game.
Chris Sheehan (3-2) started for the Terriers and threw a career-high six innings. He gave up seven runs on eight hits and had two strikeouts and two walks.
Reece Maniscalco worked an inning with one hit allowed and a strikeout.
Quintin Pile went a third of an inning with two runs allowed on one hit.
Merritt Huber allowed one hit in two-thirds of an inning and had one strikeout.
South Carolina starter Cody Morris went four innings with two runs allowed on one hit, along with eight strikeouts and three walks. Colby Lee (2-0) threw 2.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits with three strikeouts. Reed Scott went the final 2.1 innings with one run scored on two hits and he struck out three.
Wofford will begin a three-game series at Western Carolina on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. The Terriers only have two home dates remaining, a single game on May 12 and a doubleheader on May 14, against Mercer.
