LEXINGTON, Va. – The Wofford baseball team was locked in a slugfest with VMI Thursday night at Gray-Minor Stadium, but the Terriers fell just short despite their gritty comeback efforts in a 15-11 loss to open the series. Wofford drops to 16-7 (3-1 SoCon) while VMI improves to 13-14 (1-3 SoCon).
 
Terrier starter Mike Eggert (4-2) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs in 1.1 innings. Three pitchers followed out of the bullpen, the first of which was Dylan Rhadans. Though allowing five runs, only two were earned as the lefty struck out six batters, his high as a Terrier. Dom Marcoccio turned in an inning of work before Sam Stratton finished off the final 2.1 innings of the ballgame. The senior southpaw did not allow a hit or run, and though he walked three batters he also struck out four.
 
VMI reliever Nathan Hawley (2-0) picked up the win after pitching 3.2 innings as the first arm out of the Keydet bullpen. He allowed four runs on seven hits but did strike out six.
 
The Terrier offense continued to put up high numbers, recording double-digit runs for the 14^th time this season. With 12 hits, Wofford tallied double-digit base knocks for the 16^th time this season and the 10^th time in the last 13 contests. Eight Terriers recorded a hit with three tallying multiple, led by Jack Renwick's three doubles. He drove home one run.
 
Andrew Mannelly and Daniel Jackson each recorded two hits with two RBI. One of Mannelly's hits was a home run, his fourth of the season. Marshall Toole added a homer as well, his fifth of the campaign for a new single-season career high. With his homer and a walk, he extended his on-base streak to 23 games. Toole also stole a base, his SoCon-leading 19^th of the season.
 
Brice Martinez and David Wiley each made their lone hits count with both recording a triple. This pushes Wofford's triple total to 15 on the season, which would take the national lead over the 14 of Tennessee Tech and Lousiville.
 
Wofford wasted no time manufacturing a run in the top of the first for an early lead. With two outs, Andrew Mannelly and Brice Martinez worked back-to-back walks. Mannelly then swiped third, putting him in position to scurry home with a pitch in the dirt skirting away. The Terriers claimed an early 1-0 advantage thanks to the wild pitch.
 
But VMI was quick to respond. An RBI single tied the contest before a three-run homer provided the Keydets a 4-1 lead after an inning of play.
 
Marshall Toole lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of the second to help Wofford get one of those runs right back, but VMI had another four-run response in the bottom of the frame to make the score 8-2.
 
After both teams were held scoreless in the third, Wofford continued its comeback quest with a Toole solo shot in the top of the fourth. The Terriers cut the deficit to 8-3.
 
However, the Keydets utilized a third four-run inning in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 12-3.
 
The pendulum swung back in Wofford's favor in the top of the fifth when the Terriers delivered a four-spot of their own. Daniel Jackson opened the scoring with a two-run double, and he would later score on Tyler Bak's well-placed sacrifice bunt. Jack Renwick capped the scoring with an RBI double, making the margin 12-7.
 
But VMI tacked on another run in the bottom of that frame with a run-scoring double, and another pair scored in the sixth to make the score 15-7.
 
After neither team scored in the seventh, Wofford displayed continued grit with four runs in the top of the eighth to further its comeback quest. Mannelly lifted a two-run homer to kick off the rally, and Tyler Hare's double drove home another run. David Wiley then sent a triple into the right field corner to score Hare, cutting the deficit to 15-11.
 
Wofford placed two runners on base in the top of the ninth in its last-ditch attempt to complete the comeback, but VMI would not allow them to come home and thus secured a series-opening 15-11 win.
 
The Terriers will look to pull level in the series with game two tomorrow afternoon. First pitch against the Keydet is set for 2:00 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium with the match-up streaming on ESPN+.