SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team opened its season in fashion with a pair of victories Friday at Russell C. King Field. After first claiming an 11-1 run-rule triumph in eight innings over Ohio, the Terriers used some comeback magic to down the Bobcats 9-8 in the nightcap with Logan Tribble's walk-off walk. The Terriers open the season at 2-0 as the Bobcats begin 0-2.
 
"It was great. We talked a lot about being resilient and ready to go, and day one's an emotional day," said each coach J.J. Edwards. "It's tough to coach emotion with players, so it's just really good for those guys to come out level headed and be able to play the game, slow the game down – that was the good part to see."
 
Game One
Branton Little (1-0) started and earned the win for Wofford after tossing 5.2 innings of one-run baseball. He fanned a career-high six batters while walking just two. Kenny Michaels polished off the remaining 2.2 innings with no runs or hits surrendered.
 
Ohio starter Blake Gaskey (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing eight runs (seven earned) in his 3.1 innings of work.
 
The Terrier offense issued a balanced attack, collecting nine hits and working just as many walks. Wofford also added five more free bases with five batters getting hit by a pitch.
 
James Layman tallied the first three hits of his career and posted a pair of runs knocked home. Lucas Manning added a pair of hits and an RBI. David Wiley and Tyler Hare each recorded two RBI, and Hare was walked three times. The Terriers stole four bases in the contest.
 
Wofford jumped on Ohio quickly, plating three runs in the first. A David Wiley RBI single got the scoring started, and Tyler Hare doubled home a pair to make the early lead 3-0.
 
An inning later, Ryan Wynn's RBI single tacked on another run. An RBI groundout from Hunter Herndon pushed across one more, and the Terriers held a quick 5-0 lead.
 
In the third, James Layman's RBI single pushed across another run. The fourth inning saw Ohio reach the board with a run on a wild pitch, cutting the margin to 6-1.
 
However, in the bottom of the frame, the Terriers responded with three more runs. A Logan Tribble RBI infield single opened up the scoring in the frame, and Ben Timblin was plunked with the bases loaded for another run. Lucas Manning made the score 9-1 with a sacrifice fly.
 
Another sacrifice fly in the fifth, this one by Wiley, pushed the score to 10-1. After two quiet innings, Wofford ended the contest early in the eighth with a bases-loaded walk by Layman for the final 11-1 margin.
 
Game Two
Champ Davis (1-0) picked up the win for Wofford after tossing the final 2.0 innings with just one unearned run allowed on one hit and one walk. He fanned one. Cullen Condon started and pitched 4.0 frames with six runs (four earned) allowed before passing the baton to Dylan Rhadans. He bridged the gap to Davis with 3.0 innings of one-run ball.
 
"Just keep it close," said Rhadans of his mindset on the mound. "Give our guys a chance to start putting the ball in play. I came in down 6-0, so just keep it at six, and let our guys work."
 
Bobcat reliever Landon Price (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs (four earned) in his 3.1 innings of action.
 
Wofford deposited 14 hits in game two with David Wiley and Hunter Herndon each recording three. Herndon walked twice to reach base five total times. Ryan Wynn collected two RBI. Five Terriers combined to swipe seven bases as Wiley and James Layman each stole two.
 
"Just trying to stick to my spots," said Herndon of his day at the dish. "Get to first base any way and be a good offensive player, whether it was putting a ball in play with two strikes or drawing a walk. Any way I could, I was trying to do it today."
 
The Bobcats opened the game with four two-out runs in the top of the first, and they tacked on two more in the top of the third for an early 6-0 advantage.
 
Holding firm, the Terriers began their comeback push in the sixth with a Ben Timblin RBI single. A Tyler Hare double pushed Timblin home, and Hare scored on Tanner Hardin's bunt single. Wofford pulled within 6-4 after six frames.
 
Ohio looked to keep Wofford at bay, plating a run in each of the seventh and ninth innings. The Terriers entered their final hope in the bottom of the ninth down 8-4.
 
The ever-resilient Terriers kept fighting, though. David Wiley worked a leadoff walk, and Tyler Bak pinch ran. After a groundout, Adam Haber pinch hit and singled to help spark the rally. Freshman Lucas Grantham secured his first-career hit, an RBI single, to begin the comeback efforts. Harrison Campi pinch hit and recorded his first hit, a single to load the bases. A fielding error pushed home a run and kept the bases loaded for Ryan Wynn, who clutched up and laced a single through the left side to plate two and tie the game. Niko Brini was intentionally walked to reload the bases with two outs for Logan Tribble. The junior exhibited patience and worked a walk to bring home the winning run. Tribble's walk-off walk sealed the 9-8 comeback win for the Terriers.
 
"It was really special," said Haber of his hit to help the rally. "I'd been waiting all day for that moment, but when [coach Edwards] called my name, I was ready. I just did what I was supposed to do."