SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Down 6-5 entering the bottom of the penultimate inning, the Wofford baseball team utilized a pair of long balls to power back and claim an 8-6 victory over The Citadel Friday night at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers improve to 33-13 and 10-3 in SoCon play with the result. The Bulldogs drop to 22-22 and 2-11 in league action.
 
The contest was Wofford's first at home in two weeks, and the win extends Wofford's home winning streak to 15 games. The overall win streak extends now to three.
 
Dalton Rhadans (6-3) earned the win as the final of a pair of Terrier arms to toe the rubber. The senior side-winder tossed 2.0 innings, allowing one run (unearned) on three hits and striking out one. Matthew Marchal started for Wofford, going 7.0 innings deep with five runs (three earned) allowed on six hits. He walked one and punched out five.
 
The Bulldogs also only used two pitchers, with the latter – Ben Hutchins (4-2) – suffering the loss. He hurled 3.0 innings and allowed four runs on six hits.
 
Wofford outpaced The Citadel with 16 hits to nine. John Dempsey tallied one quarter of the Terrier base knocks, collecting four in the game. Lawson Hill posted three hits on the day he was announced as SoCon Player of the Month for April, adding an RBI. Ryan Galanie, Jack Renwick and Marshall Toole all totaled two hits on the day, with Galanie sporting three RBI to top the team. Two came on his clutch home run to put the Terriers ahead, his 10^th of the year. This homer came after Brice Martinez launched his own earlier in that eighth inning, a solo shot for his second of the season and lone hit of the night. He did have two total RBI. Gunnar Johnson also contributed an RBI with his pinch-hit double.
 
The Citadel struck first in the top of the second with a pair of runs. An RBI double put the Bulldogs on the board, and an RBI single made the early score 2-0.
 
Wofford responded in the bottom of the second. With runners on the corners, Brice Martinez dropped down an excellent sacrifice bunt to put the Terriers on the board, cutting the score to 2-1.
 
The Citadel went yard with a three-run homer in the third to extend its lead to 5-1.
 
Wofford added another run with Ryan Galanie's RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the frame to make the deficit 5-2.
 
The Terriers tacked on another in the fourth when Lawson Hill singled through the right side to plate Nolen Hester. The score was 5-3.
 
Wofford kept chipping away in the next inning when an error on a fielder's choice allowed Brennen Dorighi to race home. The Terriers stood within a run at 5-4.
 
After a quiet sixth, Wofford pulled level in the seventh. Jack Renwick opened the inning with a double to immediately place a runner in scoring position. Gunnar Johnson then came on to pinch-hit and delivered in the clutch with a double of his own to left center. Renwick came around to make the score 5-5.
 
The Citadel jumped right back in front in the following frame. A Bulldog lifted a triple to center, and an error on the throw back in allowed him to run home for the 6-5 advantage.
 
Ever resilient, Wofford kept fighting. With a full count, Martinez led off the inning by smacking a dinger to left field. When the ball disappeared into the trees, the score was tied and the Terriers had new life. Though the next two batters were retired, Hill stayed hot with a single through the left side. This set the stage for Galanie, who was first pitch swinging, blasting a no-doubter to straightway center to put the Terriers in front 8-6.
 
Back on top, Dalton Rhadans clamped down in the top of the ninth to shut down the Bulldogs and secure the 8-6 triumph for the Terriers to open the series.
 
After an off day tomorrow, the teams will square off again on Sunday to conclude the series with a doubleheader. The first half of the twin bill will begin at 1:00 p.m.