SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College baseball team defeated USC Upstate 3-1 on Tuesday at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers scored once in the third inning and added two runs in the sixth inning. In the top of the ninth the Spartans scored once and left two runners on base to end the game.
 
Wofford opens the season 7-5, while USC Upstate is 5-7. The teams will meet again on May 8 at USC Upstate. The Terriers were led by Mike Brown with two hits, while Hudson Byorick and Brett Rodriguez had RBIs. The Spartans were held to five hits, with Stone Stephenson scoring the lone run.
 
The Spartans were retired in order in the top of the first inning. Nolen Hester led off the bottom of the first with a single, but three straight fly balls ended the inning. With two outs in the top of the second, a batter reached on an error. A single had runners on the corners, but both runners were stranded. Wofford was retired in order in the bottom of the second. The Spartans stranded one runner in the top of the third.
 
With one out in the bottom of the third, Mike Brown had a double and Nolen Hester reached on an error. An infield single by Colin Davis loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly by Brett Rodriguez made it a 1-0 lead for Wofford. A ground out ended the inning with two runners left one base. The Spartans left two on base in the top of the fourth after a single and hit by pitch.
 
Wofford left one runner on base in the bottom of the fourth after Hudson Byorick reached on a walk. Both teams were retired in order in the fifth inning and the Spartans went in order in the top of the sixth. Brett Rodriguez walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth and with one out Andrew Orzel was hit by a pitch. With two outs, a single by Hudson Byorick drove in a run. With runners at first and third, a double steal attempt brought home a run for a 3-0 lead. The Spartans went in order in the top of the seventh.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Mike Brown led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He stole third with one out. On a fielder's choice by Colin Davis, Brown was out at home. The Spartans led off the eighth with a batter reaching on an error, but was left on base. In the bottom half, Lawson Hill reached on an error before he was caught stealing second. The Spartans had one out in the top of the ninth when Stone Stephenson singled. With two outs, a runner reached on an error and the Spartans had runners on the corners. A single by the Spartans plated a run to make it a 3-1 game. Runners were at first and second when a fly ball to right field ended the contest.
 
David Yourke started for Wofford and went four innings without allowing a run on three hits, along with one strikeout. Austin Higginbotham worked an inning with one strikeout. Jake Hershman (1-1) threw 3.2 innings with one unearned run allowed on two hits with five strikeouts. Reece Maniscalco earned his third save of the year by recording the final out.
 
USC Upstate starter Kyle Schmitt (0-1) threw six innings with three runs allowed on four hits. He had four strikeouts and walked two batters. Caleb Matthews went the final two innings with one hit allowed and one strikeout.
 
The Terriers will play at Presbyterian on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. On Friday, Wofford will begin a three-game weekend home series against Gardner-Webb.