SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Friday night, the Wofford College baseball team defeated Western Carolina 5-3 at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers took a 5-0 lead after four innings. The Catamounts plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning and added one in the ninth while holding Wofford to one hit in the final four innings.
 
Wofford is now 19-9 on the season and 3- 2 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 3-22 overall and 1-4 in the league. The Terriers have clinched a series win over the Catamounts for the first time since 2012. Max McDougald led the Terriers with three hits, while five different players drove in runs. The Catamounts had seven hits by seven different players.
 
The Catamounts were retired in order in the top of the first inning and Mack Nathanson was stranded in the bottom of the first after a walk. Western Carolina went in order in the top of the second inning. The first hit of the game was with one out in the bottom of the second by Brett Rodriguez. Max McDougald followed with a bunt single and a single through the right side by Lawson Hill scored Rodriguez for a 1-0 lead. The lead-off batter for the Catamounts in the top of the third was hit by a pitch. He was promptly picked off first base and the next two batters were retired.
 
Colin Davis hit a double to lead off the bottom of the third and McClain Bradley followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 score. After a walk to Mack Nathanson, Cody Miller had a bunt single to load the bases. With one out, a fielder's choice by Brett Rodriguez scored a run and Max McDougald added an RBI single up the middle for a 4-0 advantage. A walk to Lawson Hill loaded the bases, but a fielder's choice ended the third frame.
 
In the top of the fourth, the Catamounts had runners on the corners with one out after a pair of hits. The Terriers turned a double play to end the top half. Colin Davis had his second double of the game to start the bottom of the fourth inning. He moved to third base on a fly ball and a sacrifice fly by Mack Nathanson pushed the lead to 5-0 at the end of the fourth inning.
 
Western Carolina added a single with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, but a strikeout stranded the runner. Wofford was retired in order to end the fifth inning. Adam Scott struck out the side in the top of the sixth inning and the Terriers went in order in the bottom half of the sixth. The Catamounts led off the top of the seventh with a walk. A bunt single with one out and a single through the left side loaded the bases. A fielder's choice cut the lead to 5-1 and an RBI single made it a 5-2 game at the seventh inning stretch.
 
Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Catamounts went in order in the top of the eighth. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Max McDougald doubled to left center. A strikeout ended the eighth inning. A single by Justice Bigbe and advance on an error gave the Catamounts a runner at second base to lead off the ninth. A fly ball advanced the runner to third and he scored on a ground out. A strikeout ended the game with a 5-3 final score.
 
Adam Scott (4-2) started for the Terriers and went seven innings with two runs allowed on six hits. He had seven strikeouts and issued one walk. With 314 career strikeouts, he has become the school career leader, topping the 307 previously set by Matt Milburn (2013-16). Matt Ellmyer earned his first save of the season by going the final two innings with one unearned run allowed on one hit, along with three strikeouts.
 
Western Carolina starting pitcher Tristan Baker (1-3) threw 7.2 innings with five runs allowed on nine hits. He struck out ten batters and walked three. Blake Therrian struck out the lone batter he faced.
 
Wofford will conclude the Southern Conference series against Western Carolina on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.