Spartanburg, SC – Wofford softball split its opening matches of the Wofford Invitational, defeating Northern Kentucky 14-8 in game one before falling to St. Francis (PA) 5-1 in the night cap.

GAME 1
Wofford appeared in control early in the game- working across runs in each of the first two innings courtesy of a bases loaded walk from freshman Megan Towery in the first inning and then a sacrifice fly from redshirt freshman Kaytlin Greenwood in the second to plate each player's second RBIs of the season. In the circle for the Terriers was reigning SoCon Pitcher of the Week Margaret Axelson who was able to successfully pitch around three Norse hits over the first two innings.
A two out error from Greenwood allowed Northern Kentucky's its first run and then tagged Axelson for three more runs to give the sophomore her first four runs allowed of the season- albeit all unearned so her ERA stays at 0.00 through 10.1 innings pitched this season.
Freshman Abby Greenwood entered the circle for Wofford in the fourth inning trailing 4-3 and gave up three runs over her first inning and a third before settling in before retiring five straight Norse batters while the Terrier offense found massive successes in the fifth and sixth innings.
Wofford chased Northern Kentucky starter Madisyn Eads from the game in the innings after stringing together four consecutive hits and two runs that resulted from a freshman Kalli Petty double and freshman Abbi Campbell single to scratch the deficit to 7-5. Wofford roughed up the incoming NKU pitcher, Brooklyn Ballis, to the tune of a 2-run RBI double from freshman Bergen Needles, a freshman Desirae Devine RBI single and a junior Havalynn Abernathy walk. By the time NKU recorded out number three, Wofford had taken a 9-7 lead.
The following inning was similarly successful for the Terriers, logging five more runs on six hits with the game winning runner on base (would have run ruled Northern Kentucky).
Abby Greenwood ended up taking the win for the Terriers, her first decision as a reliever in two appearances (recorded a save against George Mason in her other).
 
GAME 2
With the ability to all but clinch the number one seed going into bracket play tomorrow afternoon, Wofford was unable to overcome St. Francis starter Rachel Marsden who spun 6.2 innings of one hit ball to down the Terriers.
The Red Flash did all their damage with their first eight outs- plating five runs on six hits. After that point, marked by the entrance of freshman Tayven Stephenson, St. Francis only managed two singular base runners and neither runner advanced past second base.
Wofford meanwhile managed its best offensive chance in the fourth inning when a throwing error from Marsden put runners on second and third with only one out. Redshirt freshman Gracie Parker tallied her second RBI of the season with a groundout to second base while also advancing a runner to third, however Kalli Petty was unable to bring the runner home- and Wofford would not reach another runner the rest of the game.
 
UP NEXT
The Terriers round out pool play with a game against Rhode Island (0-2) at 12:30 before bracket play starts at 3:00 PM. Neither game will be streamed tomorrow, so the best way to stay up to date on all things Wofford softball is by following the team on Twitter, Instagram or live stats on the Wofford Softball page of the athletics website.