SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In the opening game of a three-game series, the Wofford College baseball team picked up an 8-4 win over ETSU on Thursday night at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers scored first and then used a three-run homer by Mack Nathanson in the fifth inning to break open the game.
 
Wofford is now 34-20 overall and 14-8 in the Southern Conference. ETSU is 26-22 overall and 10-12 in league play. The Terriers can finish no lower than third place in the standings after the win. Mack Nathanson led the team with two hits and three RBIs, while Max McDougald and Alec Cargin each added two hits. Chris Cook had three hits to lead the Bucs.
 
In the first inning, the Bucs had a single and the Terriers were retired in order. The Bucs added a single in the top of the second. With two outs in the bottom of the second, Lawson Hill doubled and scored on a single by Max McDougald for a 1-0 lead. Alec Cargin walked, but the Terriers stranded two runners to end the inning. The Bucs had a single with two outs in the top of the third inning and a single, along with an error, allowed a run to score for a 1-1 game.
 
Brett Rodriguez led off the bottom of the third inning with a walk, but with two outs was caught stealing to end the frame. The Bucs had a runner reach on a strikeout and wild pitch in the fourth inning before a double play ended the top half. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bucs left one runner on base in the top of the fifth after a single. Max McDougald walked to begin the bottom of the fifth inning. After a fielder's choice and strikeout, Brett Rodriguez walked. Mack Nathanson then cleared the fence in centerfield to give the Terriers a 4-1 lead. It was his 11^th home run of the season.
 
The Bucs left one runner on base in the top of the sixth inning after a single. With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Colin Davis hit a line drive over the fence in left field for a solo home run. It was his 11^th home run of the season as Wofford took a 5-1 advantage. The Terriers left two runners on base after a walk to Max McDougald and a single by Alec Cargin. The Bucs stranded one runner in the top of the seventh after a single.
 
Wofford had singles by Brett Rodriguez and Mack Nathanson to put runners on the corners in the bottom of the seventh with no outs. A ground out by McClain Bradley drove in a run to make it a 6-1 game and a single up the middle by Andrew Orzel scored Bradley for a 7-1 lead.
 
In the top of the eighth, the Bucs had a pair of singles and then with one out a single plated a run. A sacrifice fly made it a 7-3 game in the middle of the eighth. Wofford had singles from Max McDougald and Alec Cargin to lead off the bottom of the eighth. They advanced into scoring position on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly scored McDougald for an 8-3 lead. ETSU had a double with one out in the top of the ninth and a single drove in a run to make it 8-4. A double play ended the game.
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Adam Scott (8-5) started for the Terriers and went 7.1 innings with three runs allowed on ten hits. In his final start at King Field, he struck out nine batters and had one walk. He has 376 career strikeouts to move into third place in SoCon history. Jake Hershman threw the final 1.2 innings with one run allowed on two hits.
 
ETSU starter Russell Koesters (3-3) went 4.2 innings with three runs allowed on two hits. He walked four batters and struck out four as well. Drew Korzybski worked 1.2 innings with four runs allowed on seven hits. Carter Linton went 1.2 innings with one run allowed on two hits.
 
Wofford and ETSU will continue the series on Friday at 3:00 p.m. and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The Southern Conference Tournament begins on Tuesday at Fluor Field in Greenville.