SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Down 7-2 midway through the fourth inning, the Wofford baseball team battled back to claim the lead and stave off a Wildcat comeback push to claim an 11-10 victory at Russell C. King Field Saturday afternoon. Wofford improves to 17-7 as Villanova falls to 11-10.
 
Cullen Condon started for Wofford and tossed 3.0 innings with five runs (two earned) allowed. Carter Rasmussen hurled 2.1 innings in relief before Champ Davis (5-0) finished off the remaining 3.2 frames to seal the win. Rasmussen and Davis each picked up three strikeouts.
 
Alec Sachais (3-2) suffered the loss as the second of four Wildcats to pitch. He gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks.
 
Villanova held a slight 14-13 edge on hits but committed one more error, 2-1, and provided Wofford six free baserunners with two hit batsmen and four walks. Niko Brini paced the team with three hits and three RBI, including a home run. Ryan Wynn and Tyler Hare each added a pair of hits with Hare also hitting a homer. David Wiley, Andrew Mannelly, and Lucas Manning each added an RBI alongside Hare. James Layman reached base four times after being hit twice, collecting a base knock, and drawing a walk.
 
The Terriers swiped six bases in the contest with Wynn taking two. Layman stole home with Adam Haber, Tanner Hardin, and Mannelly all adding one swipe.
 
After the first inning went by scoreless, Wofford got on the board first when James Layman came home on a passed ball in the bottom of the second.
 
In the top of the third, Villanova responded to take the lead. A three-run homer was followed by an RBI single for a 4-1 Wildcat advantage.
 
The Terriers got a run back in the bottom of the inning when David Wiley hit an RBI single to bring Wofford within 4-2.
 
Villanova added two more homers in the top of the fourth to pull ahead 7-2, but Wofford again responded in the bottom of the frame. Tanner Hardin's RBI single up the middle started off what turned into a four-run inning. With runners on the corners, Wofford executed a delayed double steal that saw Layman swipe home. Andrew Mannelly and Niko Brini each added RBI singles thereafter to bring Wofford within one, 7-6.
 
The Terrier comeback push continued in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Hare clubbed a solo homer to left center, tying the game at 7-all.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Brini lifted a two-run homer that stayed inside the right field foul pole, putting Wofford ahead 9-7.
 
The Terriers added two more in the bottom of the seventh, which would prove to be key insurance runs. Lucas Manning put down a bunt with runners on second and third, pushing across one. A second run came home when the catcher's throw sailed into the outfield trying in vain to get Manning, as the Terrier lead grew to 11-7.
 
Villanova responded with a pair in the top of the eighth to pull within a run. A two-run double gave way to an RBI single, pulling the margin to within 11-10.
 
The Wildcats gave one last comeback effort in the top of the ninth with a lead-off single. Champ Davis clamped down with back-to-back strikeouts, and he made an excellent play on a chopper to seal the final out and Wofford's 11-10 victory.
 
After taking the series today, the Terriers will look to close out a sweep tomorrow afternoon with game three of the set. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. at Russell C. King Field.