GREENVILLE, S.C. – On Thursday night, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 5-2 by Samford in the 2018 Southern Conference Tournament at Fluor Field. With the game tied at 2-2 in the middle of the sixth inning, the Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. Neither team scored in the final three innings.
                    
Wofford, the #3 seed, is 36-21 on the season and #2 seed Samford is 33-24 overall. The Terriers will face UNCG on Friday at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game. Wofford was held to five hits in the game, including a solo home run by Colin Davis. Ryan Crockett led the Bulldogs with two hits, while Austin Edens had three RBIs.
 
In the first inning, McClain Bradley walked with two outs but was caught stealing second base. Samford had a single and stranded the runner at second base. Lawson Hill singled with two outs in the top of the second inning and the Bulldogs left two runners on base at the end of the second inning. Brett Rodriguez added a single in the third inning with two outs and Mack Nathanson then reached on an error. A single through the right side by McClain Bradley drove in Rodriguez for a 1-0 lead. Samford led off the bottom of the third with a double. A sacrifice bunt and wild pitch tied the game at 1-1 before a double play ended the inning.
 
Colin Davis led off the fourth inning with a walk. Lawson Hill reached on a fielder's choice and then was caught stealing second. The Bulldogs began the bottom of the fourth with a single and then an error on a fielder's choice put runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly plated a run for a 2-1 lead before a pair of groundouts ended the inning. Brett Rodriguez walked with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. He stole second and moved to third on a passed ball before a fly ball ended the top half. The Bulldogs were retired in order to end the fifth inning.
 
With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Colin Davis cleared the Green Monster with a solo home run to tie the game at 2-2. It was his 12^th home run of the season. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the sixth with a double and an RBI single with one out to regain the lead at 3-2. A home run by Austin Edens pushed the advantage to 5-2.
 
Max McDougald walked to begin the seventh inning before three straight strikeouts. The Bulldogs began their half of the seventh with a single, but left a runner on second at the end of the inning. Wofford led off the eighth with an infield single by Mack Nathanson, however the top half ended with him stranded at third base. The Bulldogs left one runner on in the bottom of the eighth after a walk. Wofford was retired in order in the top of the ninth on three straight ground balls.
 
Austin Higginbotham (6-5) started for the Terriers and threw his second complete game of the season. In the eight innings he allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out five batters.
 
Samford starter Cody Shelton went 4.2 innings with one unearned run allowed on three hits, while striking out five. Scott Rich (5-5) threw 1.1 innings with one run allowed on one hit. Wyatt Burns earned his 12^th save of the season by going the final three innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
 
Wofford will face #1 seed UNCG on Friday, May 25, at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game. Note the game times on Friday have been changed due to the threat of inclement weather. Samford will be off on Friday and then face #6 seed Mercer at noon on Saturday, May 26.