Spartanburg, S.C.- Wofford softball (19-11, 2-1) defeated cross-town rival USC Upstate (26-7, 1-2) 4-2 in a midweek matchup on Wednesday, March 26, at USC Upstate. Starting pitcher Natalya Salo delivered a gem and a Hope Ingle two-run home run late in the game secured Wofford the victory.  

True freshman Natalya Salo got the start against one of the best offensive teams in the nation with USC Upstate ranking twelfth in RBI per game with 7.84 and a team batting average of .353.  

"I really knew I had to spin the ball today against Upstate," said Natalya Salo. "I needed to let my defense work and trust everyone around me."  

This strategy proved effective as Salo went the complete game with four hits, two runs allowed and two strikes. No walks were surrendered, and the Terrier defense did not commit an error the entire game.  

Wofford struck first in the opening inning with a Havalynn Abernathy single, which on an errant throw allowed Hope Ingle to score to give the Terriers the 1-0 advantage. In the fourth inning, a wild pitch with the bases loaded scored Kalli Petty to extend Wofford's lead to 2-0. The Spartans cut into the lead in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to put the score back to a one run ball game. In the top of seventh, Hope Ingle launched a massive two-run missile over the left field wall to give much needed insurance runs to the Terriers. USC Upstate brought another runner home with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh, but Salo shut the door ending the game 4-2 for Wofford.  

Wofford left seven runners on base, five of which were in scoring position, compared to Upstate's two. Walks and errors were the deciding factor in the game, with the Spartans allowing five free passes and two errors while the Terriers didn't surrender a walk or an error.  

The Terriers return to conference play this Friday, March 28, as they travel to Greensboro to take on league-leader UNCG in a three-game series. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Friday.