SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team earned a series sweep over Western Carolina with a 3-2 win on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers had a 3-0 lead after five innings. The Catamounts added runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but were held scoreless in the final two frames for the victory.
 
Wofford is now 20-9 on the season and 4- 2 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 3-23 overall and 1-5 in the league. The Terriers won the series against the Catamounts for the first time since 2012 and it was the first ever three-game sweep. Brett Rodriguez led Wofford with a pair of hits and a run scored, while Cameron Blaquiere led the Catamounts with two hits.
 
Through the first three innings, Western Carolina had two hits and stranded four base runners. Wofford had three hits and left four runners on base, with the Catamounts turning two double plays. In the top of the fourth inning, the Catamounts were retired in order. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Brett Rodriguez walked. He moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third base. On a strikeout in the dirt, Rodriguez scored on the throw to first base for a 1-0 lead.  
 
Western Carolina singled with two outs in the top of the fifth, but a fielder's choice ended the top half. With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Colin Davis doubled and McClain Bradley followed with a walk. Cody Miller was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Andrew Orzel was hit by a pitch, which scored a run. A wild pitch allowed a run to cross the plate for a 3-0 lead before a strikeout ended the inning with two runners stranded.
 
The Catamounts walked to lead off the sixth inning. A double by Justice Bigbie scored the runner to cut the lead to 3-1. A walk had runners on the corners, but a pair of strikeouts and a fielder's choice ended the top half with both runners stranded. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, back-to-back singles led off the frame to put runners on the corners. A sacrifice bunt plated a run to make it a 3-2 game at the seventh inning stretch.
 
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, McClain Bradley singled. Cody Miller walked with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning with both runners stranded. Western Carolina was retired in order in the top of the eighth inning and Brett Rodriguez led off the bottom half with a single. He was caught stealing second and a ground out and strikeout ended the eighth inning. The Catamounts had two outs in the top of the ninth when a batter reached on a throwing error. A ground out ended the game.
 
Grant Byers (4-1) started for the Terriers and went five innings with one run allowed on four hits. Anthony Garcia earned his third save of the season by going 4.0 innings with one run allowed on two hits, along with three strikeouts.
 
Western Carolina starting pitcher Taylor Purus (1-6) threw six innings and gave up three runs on four hits while striking out five batters. Blake Therrian went the final two innings with two hits allowed and three strikeouts.
 
Wofford will begin the spring break week with a visit to East Carolina on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. and then travel to UNC Wilmington for a three-game weekend series.