LEXINGTON, Va. –The Wofford baseball team clinched the road series against VMI with a 9-2 win at Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium on Friday night. The Terriers (21-10, 5-0) let up one run in the first but came back with three runs each in the third, eighth, and ninth innings to take down the Keydets (22-8, 1-4).
"This team has resilience," head coach
J.J. Edwards said. "From the coaching to the guys meshing together really well, Wofford has it."
Alec Bouchard started on the mound for the Terriers, going for seven innings. Bouchard (5-2) gave up just three hits and one run while punching out nine batters in the contest.
Branton Little closed out the last two innings, giving up two hits and one run with two strikeouts.
Ben Timblin led Wofford at the plate with two runs on two hits and five RBI.
Niko Brini followed with two runs on two hits, and
Brady Gold had one run on two hits with one RBI.
The Terriers were retired in order to open the first inning. The Keydets came out swinging with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first and scored on a wild pitch to take an early 1-0 lead. Wofford left two runners on base in the top of the second. In the top of the third inning,
Brady Gold, after going 3-4 in yesterday's outing, would lead off with a solo home run to centerfield to tie the ball game at 1-1.
Cade Collins walked and
Niko Brini hit a single to put two runners on base.
Ben Timblin singled deep down left field to drive home Collins and Brini to give Wofford the 3-1 lead.
Bouchard wasted no time in the bottom of the third as he struck out three batters swinging to retire the Keydets. Four scoreless innings followed for both teams. The Terriers ended the scoring drought with back-to-back singles by
Niko Brini and
Logan Tribble. A fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt by
Ben Timblin and a throwing error allowed Brini to score and boost the Terriers lead to 4-1. An RBI single by
Marc Quarrie continued Wofford's momentum for a 5-1 score. A sacrifice hit by
Hunter Herndon would give the Terriers their last run of the inning to push past the Keydets 6-1.
In the final inning,
Cade Collins walked and
Logan Tribble singled to center field. With two outs,
Ben Timblin cleaned up on a 2-1 count to hit a three-run home run to close the door on the Keydets 9-1. After Wofford left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, VMI had a home run and a double in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead 9-2 before the final out.
Â
Quick Hits:
- Starting Lineup: Cade Collins (3B), Niko Brini (CF), Logan Tribble (LF), Ben Timblin (RF), Marc Quarrie (DH), Hunter Herndon (1B), Tanner Hardin (2B), JT Smith (C), Brady Gold (SS) and Alec Bouchard (SP).
- Alec Bouchard threw nine strikeouts in tonight's contest, a season high.
- Bouchard is first in the Southern Conference in strikeouts with 49.
- Brady Gold hit his second home run in tonight's game. Gold went 2-4 at the plate.
- Ben Timblin had five RBI, his second five-RBI game since his first at Belmont on March 8.
- The Terriers are the only team in the Southern Conference to remain undefeated in league play.
The Terriers will return for the series finale against VMI Saturday, April 4, at 1 p.m., streaming on ESPN +.
Â
