SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 4-1 by Mercer on Sunday afternoon at Russell C. King Field. The Bears had a 2-0 lead after five innings. Both teams scored a run in the seventh inning and Mercer added one _run in the eighth for the 4-1 final margin.
 
Wofford is 19-11 on the season and 2-1 in the Southern Conference. Mercer is 13-16 overall and 2-4 in league play. Despite the loss, Wofford secured the series win over Mercer for the first time since the Bears joined the league in the 2015 season. The Terriers were led by John Dempsey with two hits, while the pitching staff combined to record 11 strikeouts.
 
In the first inning, both teams left one runner on base. Both teams were retired in order in the second inning. With one out in the top of the third, the Bears had a single. The Terriers turned a double play to end the top half of the frame. Mike Brown singled with one out in the bottom of the third and stole second. He moved to third on a passed ball but a ground out ended the scoring chance.
 
The Bears had two outs and two runners on base after walks when a single drove in the game's first run. A hit by pitch loaded the bases and a strikeout ended the top of the fourth inning. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the fourth. Mercer led off the fifth with a double and an RBI single with two outs made it a 2-0 game.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Josh Congdon reached third base on a fielding error. A double play ended the inning for the Terriers. Mercer was retired in order in the top of the sixth inning. Mike Brown reached on an error in the bottom of the sixth and Andrew Orzel walked. A pair of ground outs and a strikeout stranded the runners in scoring position. Mercer led off with a single in the top of the seventh and the runner moved to second on an error. With two outs, a single drove in the run for a 3-0 lead.
 
Colin Davis and John Dempsey singled to start the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners and a ground out scored Davis for a 3-1 game. Mercer led off the eighth with a solo home run by Angelo DiSpigna to give the Bears a 4-1 lead. Andrew Orzel singled for Wofford to begin the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out he was caught stealing and a line out ended the inning.
 
In the top of the ninth, Mercer was retired in order on two strikeouts and a ground out. Lawson Hill led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. After a fielder's choice, John Dempsey doubled and the Terriers had runners on scoring position. A pair of strikeouts ended the game for the Terriers.
 
David Yourke (1-1) started for Wofford and allowed one run on four hits in four innings, while striking out three batters. Reece Maniscalco went 1.2 innings with one run allowed on two hits and three strikeouts.  Rasesh Pandya threw 1.1 innings and gave up one run on two hits with one strikeout. Anthony Garcia gave up one run on one hit in two innings with four strikeouts.
 
Mercer starter Tanner Hall (3-3) went five innings without allowing a run on one hit and two strikeouts. Sawyer Gipson-Long threw 1.2 innings with one run on two hits. Scott Smith earned the save by going the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run on three hits and two strikeouts.
 
The Terriers will travel to Wright State for a Tuesday game before returning to Southern Conference play at Western Carolina on Friday night.