SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Runs were aplenty for the Wofford baseball team Saturday evening at Russell C. King Field as the Terriers raced to a 17-9 triumph over the Bucknell Bison. Wofford improves to 2-0 on the young season while Bucknell drops to 0-2.
 
Terrier freshman Mason Compton (1-0) earned his first collegiate win in his first appearance, tossing 3.1 innings out of the bullpen with only a single run allowed. Compton struck out two while surrendering just three hits and a walk. Zac Cowan started for Wofford, pitching 4.2 innings with six runs allowed and six punchouts. Michael Sills hurled the final inning, giving up two runs with a strikeout.
 
"It felt really good. It's good to get the first one under the belt. It's very helpful that we have an offense like that and a defense like that. It makes it pretty easy to do my job, so I can just go out there and throw strikes and compete," said Compton of his stout debut on the bump.
 
Bison starter Tyler O'Neill (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up eight runs (three earned) in 3.0 innings on four hits and four walks.
 
The Wofford offense was firing on all cylinders, plating 17 runs on 12 hits. After scoring 12 last night, the Terriers own 29 runs through the first two games of the season. The Terriers swiped six bases tonight as well.
 
"I think everybody is getting up there and just passing it off to the next guy," said Marshall Toole of the offensive success. "At the plate, everybody is doing their one-ninth and getting our brand on the field, whether that's bunts, just getting it in play with two strikes. I think that's where a lot of our success comes from."
 
Defense was also a major factor, as Wofford was unblemished in the field as opposed to six errors by the Bison defenders. This contributed to only nine of the 17 Wofford runs being earned.
 
Marshall Toole posted three hits and reached base five total times with a pair of walks. The junior outfielder drove home a run and swiped a pair of bases. Brice Martinez and Adam Haber both tallied two-hit days and drove home two runs. Andrew Mannelly reached base three times with a hit and two walks. David Wiley and Jack Renwick both drove home a run with a hit, and Dixon Black also recorded an RBI and added a walk. Freshman catcher Daniel Jackson made his debut in a starting role behind the dish and tallied his first-career hit in the contest.
 
Alongside Jackson, multiple Terriers made their debuts today. Sophomore transfer Lucas Manning made his Wofford debut and recorded his first hit as a Terrier in pinch-hit fashion. Freshmen Tyler Bak and Ryan Wynn both saw their first playing time with Wynn working a walk. Sophomore Logan Tribble also made his collegiate debut after redshirting his freshman campaign.
 
"We're seeing a lot of pitches, putting good swings on the ball and we're getting to other people and putting pressure on them," said assistant coach Hudson Byorick of the offense. "There are hits but also walks, stealing bases, taking the next base."
 
Bucknell got on the board first with three runs in the top of the first. Wofford responded in the bottom of the first with a delayed double steal attempt. Despite an out between first and second, Dixon Black had enough time to race home for Wofford's first run. The Bison led 3-1 after an inning.
 
The Terriers claimed the lead with authority in the third by way of a seven-run inning. Brice Martinez opened the onslaught with a two-run single to tie the game. A throwing error allowed David Wiley to reach base while also bringing in Andrew Mannelly to give Wofford the lead. Another error would score two more, and Adam Haber brought in another pair with a single through the right side. Wofford stood on top, 8-3, after three innings.
 
Bucknell started its own comeback attempt in the fourth with an RBI groundout. Continuing the chip away, the Bison scored two more in the fifth on a two-run double to cut the score to 8-6.
 
But in the bottom of the fifth, the Terriers widened the gap to a seemingly insurmountable margin with another big inning, this time six runs. Things started off with an RBI single by Jack Renwick. Marshall Toole added one of his own for another run, and an RBI groundout by Black plated another. A dropped fly ball in right field allowed Toole to score, and Andrew Mannelly was able to reach third on the miscue. A passed ball on a strikeout allowed Mannelly to scurry home and Martinez to reach first, from where he would later score thanks to a David Wiley RBI double. When the dust settled, the Terriers had raced out to a 14-6 advantage.
 
Bucknell added its own RBI double in the top of the sixth, but Wofford scored three more runs in the bottom of the frame. Renwick swiped second, and an errant throw by the catcher allowed him to get up and race all the way home. Later in the frame, Mannelly ripped a run-scoring double, and a wild pitch brought home another run for a 17-7 lead.
 
The Bison plated two in the ninth, but it was all for posterity's sake as Michael Sills collected the final three outs on the hill to secure the 17-9 Wofford win.
 
After Towson and Bucknell play at Russell C. King Field tomorrow morning with a 10:30 p.m. first pitch time, Wofford will take the field against the Tigers in the afternoon to complete the opening weekend of action. Wofford's contest is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.