SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team defeated Harvard on Friday night at Russell C. King Field to begin a weekend series. The Terriers had a 3-1 lead after three innings and extended the advantage to 6-3 in the fourth inning. Harvard came back with two runs in the top of the ninth inning, but left the tying run on second base.
 
Wofford opens the season 5-3, while the contest was the season opener for the Crimson. The Terriers were led by Colin Davis with two hits and a pair of RBIs, while Brett Rodriguez and Lawson Hill added two hits each. Jake Suddleson had three hits and an RBI to lead the Crimson.
 
The Crimson got on the board in the top of the first inning when an RBI triple by Jake Suddleson scored a runner from first for a 1-0 lead. Wofford had runners on the corners with one out after singles by Colin Davis and Brett Rodriguez. A walk to Lawson Hill loaded the bases and a wild pitch tied the game. A walk to Hudson Byorick loaded the bases, but a strikeout and ground out ended the scoring chance in the first.
 
In the second inning, Harvard left two runners on base and Wofford was retired in order. The Crimson stranded two runners in the top of the third inning after a hit by pitch and single. Colin Davis walked and Brett Rodriguez doubled to lead off the bottom of the third for Wofford. A single by Lawson Hill scored Davis for a 2-1 lead and a sacrifice fly by Hudson Byorick made it a 3-1 game. The Terriers left two runners on base at the end of the inning.
 
With two outs in the top of the fourth with one runner on base, a hit by pitch was followed by a double that drove in both runners to tie the game at 3-3. Wofford had Mike Brown and Andrew Orzel in scoring position after singles with one out. A double down the left field line by Colin Davis gave Wofford a 5-3 advantage. Davis stole third base and scored on a wild pitch to make it a 6-3 game.
 
Harvard left two runners on base in the top of the fifth inning and Wofford stranded one at the end of the inning. The Crimson had one runner on base in the top of the sixth, but he was picked off. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth and both teams went in order in the seventh inning. In the top of the eighth, Harvard left two runners on base after a single and walk.  
 
John Dempsey led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and he moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. He was picked off third base and the Terriers left a runner on second to end the inning. In the top of the ninth, an error allowed the leadoff batter to reach first. A home run by Patrick McColl cut the lead to 6-5. A single and a sacrifice bunt had a runner at second base with one out. A pop up to third base and a strikeout ended the game.
 
Austin Higginbotham (2-1) started for the Terriers and went five innings with three runs allowed on five hits. He struck out a career-high nine batters. Matt Ellmyer threw three innings and did not allow a run with one hit and two strikeouts. Reece Maniscalco earned his first save of the season with two runs allowed on two hits in the ninth inning with one strikeout.
 
Harvard starter Hunter Bigge (0-1) threw 3.2 innings with six runs allowed on nine hits, along with five strikeouts. Enzo Stefanoni went 4.1 innings without allowing a run and giving up one hit.
 
The Terriers and Crimson will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2:00 p.m., with a seven-inning and nine-inning contest. The series will conclude on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.