SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team struck early Friday evening, but a late VMI push forced extras at Russell C. King Field before a three-run 11^th secured the comeback win for the Keydets. Wofford drops to 15-6 (0-1 SoCon) while VMI improves to 14-9 (1-0 SoCon).
 
Terrier reliever Luke Stephens (2-2) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) in 3.0 innings of work. Coulson Buchanan started for Wofford, tossing 3.0 innings with just a run allowed on three hits with two strikeouts.
 
Will Riley (2-2) earned the win for VMI out of the bullpen after pitching 2.0 innings with a run allowed on three hits and five walks. Nathan Light (1) secured the save after pitching the final frame.
 
The Wofford offense was paced by four multi-hit efforts. Dixon Black led the way with four hits, and Ryan Galanie added three with an RBI. Jack Renwick secured a pair, but Cameron Gill added three runs knocked in to go alongside his two hits. One of Gill's knocks was a solo home run, his second of the campaign.
 
 VMI opened the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the third. But in the bottom of the frame, Wofford pulled even with a Trey Yunger RBI double to make the score 1-1.
 
Cameron Gill's single in the fourth gave the Terriers a lead, 3-1, when it plated a pair of runs.
 
In the top of the fifth, a sacrifice fly pulled the Keydets within a run, 3-2.
 
But in the bottom of the inning, a double steal gone awry extended the Terrier lead. As the throw sailed into the outfield, Ryan Galanie scurried home to make the margin 4-2.
 
In the following frame, Gill lifted a solo big fly to left to make the score 5-2.
 
VMI found its rhythm in the seventh, scoring three runs to tie the contest at 5-5.
 
In the top of the ninth, the Keydets plated a run with a single to take the lead, 6-5.
 
But the Terriers would not allow VMI to close out the contest in the bottom of the ninth, scoring a run with Galanie's single to even the score at 6-6 and send the game into extra innings.
 
Both sides threatened in extras, but each team's pitchers were able to work out of trouble in the 10^th to force another free frame. In the top of the 11^th, the Keydets found their stroke again to score three runs and lead 9-6.
 
The margin would remain there, as though Wofford secured a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the 11^th, an untimely double play ended the game and locked in the 9-6 defeat.
 
Wofford and VMI will meet up again tomorrow afternoon for the second game of the series. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. at Russell C. King Field.