SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 13-3 by Virginia Commonwealth University on Thursday at Russell C. King Field. The Rams had three home runs in the first three innings to build a 5-0 lead and added five runs in the fifth inning to make it a 10-0 game.
 
Wofford opens the season 2-2, while the Rams are also 2-2. The Terriers were held to three hits in the game, while Lawson Hill and Matt Pagano had RBIs. The Rams had 18 hits, led by Zac Ching with three hits and three RBIs.
 
With one out in the top of the first inning, Zac Ching hit a home run out to left center for a 1-0 lead. The Rams left one runner on base after a double. Wofford was retired in order on three strikeouts in the bottom of the first inning. Both teams were retired in order in the second inning.
 
In the top of the third inning, an infield single was followed by a home run by Hogan Brown for a 3-0 advantage. With one out, Brett Norwood had a solo home run to push the lead to 4-0. After a double, a throwing error allowed a run to score and the Rams had a 5-0 lead in the middle of the third. Wofford left one runner on base at the end of the third after a walk by Mike Brown.
 
The Rams left one runner on base in the top of the fourth inning after a single. The Terriers stranded one in the bottom of the fourth after Lawson Hill walked. In the top of the fifth, three straight singles loaded the bases. Three straight walks plated runs to make it an 8-0 advantage. A single to left field drove in two runs for a 10-0 lead before back-to-back strikeouts ended the frame with the bases loaded.
 
The Terriers stranded one runner in the bottom of the fifth after Reed Massey walked. In the sixth, the Rams left runners on the corners and Wofford was retired in order. VCU added two runs on four hits in the top of the seventh inning to take a 12-0 advantage. Brett Rodriguez singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh and stole second base, but was stranded.
 
A double led off the top of the eighth inning and an RBI single made it a 13-0 game. Reed Massey led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and Mike Brown added a single. A fielder's choice by Andrew Orzel led to Massey being out at third base. Ethan Cornelius was hit by a pitch to load the bases and a walk to Matt Pagano plated a run. Lawson Hill hit into a fielder's choice, with Pagano out at second and a run scoring, while an error allowed a second run to score and the Terriers trailed 13-3. The Rams left one runner on base in the top of the ninth and the Terriers were retired in order to end the game.
 
Austin Higginbotham (1-1) started and went four innings with ten runs allowed on ten hits. He struck out five batters and issued three walks. Rasesh Pandya threw 1.2 innings with one hit allowed and a career-high three strikeouts. Jake Zoller worked two innings with three runs allowed on seven hits and one strikeout. Ty Reginelli went the final 1.1 innings without allowing a hit and one strikeout.
 
VCU starter Connor Gillispie (1-0) threw four innings and did not allow a hit, along with eight strikeouts and two walks. Benjamin Dum worked three innings and allowed one hit with five strikeouts. Curtis Bafus threw an inning with three runs allowed on two hits. Jaden Griffin had one strikeout in the ninth inning.
 
The Terriers are scheduled to face Bucknell on Friday at 5:00 p.m. and Radford on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to complete the weekend. The schedule could change due to rain in the forecast.