CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Wofford College baseball team used a big seventh inning to take a 13-2 series opening win over Western Carolina at Childress Field on Friday. The Catamounts had a 2-0 lead at the end of six innings, but the Terriers rallied for eight runs in the top of the seventh and added five runs in the top of the ninth for the final margin.
Wofford is 31-17 overall and 18-7 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 22-18 on the season and 10-10 in league play. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday to complete the weekend series. Wofford has won three of the four games played between the teams so far this season.
NOTABLES
- Western Carolina had eleven hits in the game to ten for the Terriers. Colin Davis led Wofford with three hits and three runs scored, while Lawson Hill had two hits and three RBIs.
- With two hits in the game, Lawson Hill now has 201 in his career. He is the 12th player in school history to reach that milestone.
- The 18 wins in league play are the most in school history. With the win, along with other Friday results, the Terriers have secured one of the top three seeds in the upcoming SoCon Tournament (along with Samford and Mercer).
- Wofford starter Josh Vitus (3-3) worked a career-high eight innings with two runs allowed on ten hits, along with tying a career-high with six strikeouts without issuing a walk. Dom Marcoccio had two strikeouts and one hit allowed in the ninth.
- Jack Snyder started for Western Carolina and allowed two runs on two hits in six innings, along with three strikeouts. Nick Hyde (2-2) gave up three runs on one hit in a third of an inning. Zach Franklin went two-thirds of an inning with three runs allowed on four hits. Dawson Elder did not allow a hit in an inning. Corey Bright, Christian Sidoti and Alex Woodard each worked a third of the ninth inning and they combined to allow five runs on three hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After Wofford was retired in order in the top of the first, the Catamounts led off with a single and followed with a bunt single that combined with an error allowed a run to score.
- Jack Renwick singled with one out in the top of the second but was stranded at second base. The Catamounts were retired in the bottom of the second and Wofford went in order in the top of the third.
- Western Carolina led off the bottom of the third with a single before the Terriers turned a double play and a ground out ended the frame.
- Wofford went in order in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, the Catamounts had a pair of singles before a strikeout ended the inning. The Terriers went in order in the top of the fifth.
- With one out in the bottom of the fifth, the Catamounts had a single and with two outs the runner scored on a single for a 2-0 lead.
- The Terriers had one batter reach on a walk in the top of the sixth inning. In the bottom half, a lead-off single was followed by three straight fly balls for Western Carolina.
- Colin Davis led off the seventh inning with an infield single and Lawson Hill walked. With one out, A double by Jack Renwick scored Davis. An intentional walk to John Dempsey loaded the bases. Brennen Dorighi reached on a fielder's choice and Lawson Hill scored on the play as the throw home was mishandled by the catcher for a 2-2 game. A pinch-hit single by Andrew Calhoun drove in Jack Renwick as Wofford took a 3-2 lead. Matty Brown added a single that plated two runs to make it a 5-2 game. With an RBI single by Colin Davis and a single by Lawson Hill that drove in two runs, the lead extended to 8-2.
- In the bottom of the seventh, the Catamounts left one runner on base after a hit by pitch. Wofford left two runners on base in the top of the eighth inning. Western Carolina opened the bottom of the frame with back-to-back singles, but three straight outs stranded the runners.
- Wofford had one out in the top of the ninth when Colin Davis singled. He advanced on a pair of wild pitches and scored on a double by Lawson Hill for a 9-2 lead. With two outs, Jack Renwick was hit by a pitch and then John Dempsey had an RBI single. A wild pitch scored Renwick as the Terriers had an 11-2 advantage. With the bases loaded after back-to-back walks, a wild pitch brought across a run. A walk to Matty Brown kept the bases loaded and a balk plated a run for a 13-2 score in the middle of the inning.
- After two strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth, the Catamounts had a single before a fly ball ended the contest.
UP NEXT
Wofford and Western Carolina will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2:00 p.m., with the second game approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.