SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford baseball team struck first Sunday afternoon against Mercer, but the Bears fought back and stifled Wofford's ninth-inning rally for a 10-8 Mercer win at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers fall to 27-22 (5-10 SoCon) as the Bears improve to 31-19 (10-8 SoCon).
 
Five Terriers pitched in the contest with Grant Comstock starting. In his first start as a Terrier, he threw a scoreless and hitless first inning with just two walks issued. Michaels Sills (2-3) suffered the loss as the third arm to pitch, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits with a strikeout in 2.1 innings of work.
 
Terry Busse (3-1) picked up the win for Mercer as the middle man of three pitchers. He hurled 4.0 frames with one run allowed on three hits.
 
Mercer held a 16-12 hits advantage with Hunter Herndon notching four hits for a career high. He added two RBI with one of the knocks being a triple. Tanner Hardin and Ryan Wynn each collected two hits with one of Wynn's being a double. Hardin added an RBI with David Wiley posting two with a hit and two walks. Tyler Bak and Lucas Manning each notched one RBI and a double. Niko Brini, Wynn, and Hardin all stole a base.
 
The Terriers struck first in the bottom of the first. Ryan Wynn doubled and moved to third on a passed ball. He then scored on David Wiley's RBI groundout for a quick 1-0 edge.
 
In the second, Wofford tacked on two more. Hunter Herndon singled and was bunted to second. Lucas Manning's double brought Herndon home, and Tanner Hardin's single scored Manning for the 3-0 lead.
 
In the third, Mercer got on the board with an RBI to cut the margin to 3-1. However, in the bottom of the frame small ball prevailed yet again. Wynn singled and was bunted to second before stealing third. From there, Herndon singled him home for a 4-1 lead.
 
Wofford added one more in the bottom of the fourth when Wiley worked a bases-loaded walk, stretching the advantage to 5-1.
 
Mercer picked up a run in the top of the fifth with an RBI groundout, but Wofford got it right back in the bottom of the frame. Herndon singled and scored on Tyler Bak's double for a 6-2 margin.
 
Mercer's push back began in the top of the sixth with two RBI singles, bringing the Bears to within 6-4.
 
Two Mercer runs in the seventh tied the game, and a four-run eighth pushed the Bears in front 10-6.
 
Wofford looked for a late rally in the bottom of the ninth and gave a great fight. Wiley led off the inning with a single and was lifted for pinch-runner Ethan Belk. A groundout moved Belk to second, and he scored from there on Herndon's triple to left center. After a strikeout, a wild pitch brought Herndon home. The Terriers were within two, but the last out was recorded to cut the comeback short as Mercer held on for a 10-8 result.
 
Despite the Sunday loss, the Terriers still claimed the series 2-1. Wofford remains at home on Tuesday, May 6, to host Presbyterian in the final midweek match-up of the season. First pitch against the Blue Hose is set for 5:30 p.m. at Russell C. King Field.