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Samford Baseball

A look back at the Bulldogs' 9-7 win over top-10 ranked and eventual College World Series team Kentucky on April 9th!

#SetTheStandard | #AllForSAMford https://t.co/av8WCb2zbV

VMI Baseball

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗣𝗟 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺...

These three guys were selected by the @cplbaseball to compete against the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this weekend!

#RahVaMil | #VMIBaseCo https://t.co/CJ0KMhidod

ETSU Athletics

Cameron Sisneros Named SoCon Player of the Week https://t.co/RnnUJ0c8i4 https://t.co/2AzG7gDjAW

The Southern Conference

#SoConBSB player &amp; pitcher of the week ⚾️ https://t.co/czEK1BhFik

CHARLESTON, S.C. –&nbsp;After conducting a nationwide search throughout the offseason, The Citadel announced Russell Triplett as the Bulldogs' new baseball head coach Wednesday afternoon. A former standout at Clemson University, Triplett has served as the head coach at Newberry College for the last 14 seasons, amassing an overall record of 418-278-1.
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 "The opportunity to take the helm of a program with as much history, tradition and pure grit as The Citadel is a dream come true," Triplett said. "The entire process of interviewing for this position has been incredibly fulfilling, and I'd like to personally thank The Citadel's president, Gen. Walters, the Citadel Director of Athletics Mike Capaccio and every member of the search committee for putting their faith in my background, my experience and my vision. The Citadel ranks as one of those 'special places' within the college baseball community, and my entire family and I are thrilled to embrace the unique culture and dedicated alumni base that makes this institution exceptional."
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 The Citadel Director of Athletics Mike Capaccio led the coach search committee that reviewed more than 60 applicants, interviewed leading candidates and selected Coach Triplett.
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 "Following a comprehensive search over the past few weeks, I'm proud to welcome Russell Triplett as the new head baseball coach for The Citadel," Capaccio said. "Triplett has a proven track record of success throughout his career and I look forward to watching him construct a culture of excellence, focused around the development of our cadet and student athletes, in the search to reestablish the deep-rooted, winning tradition of the storied baseball program here at The Citadel."
 &nbsp;
 Throughout his tenure, Coach Triplett garnered honors as the South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year on three occasions (2015, 2019, and 2023) while also mentoring three SAC Players of the Year, two SAC Freshmen of the Year and two SAC Conference Scholar Athletes of the Year.
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 Under his leadership, the team secured its first-ever South Atlantic Conference regular-season title in 2019. Further, the Wolves clinched both the SAC regular-season championship and the tournament championship just two seasons ago during the 2023 campaign, setting a new single-season school record behind 43 victories.
 &nbsp;
 Beyond the program win mark, the 2023 season also featured a slew of broken records for the Wolves, including stolen bases, total hits, team batting average, on-base percentage, total runs scored, RBIs, hit-by pitches and sacrifice flies.
 &nbsp;
 Notably, Newberry secured the program's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2019, ranking third nationally and hosting an NCAA Regional. Later in 2023, the Wolves registered their first NCAA Tournament win over UNC Pembroke.
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 Before joining the Wolves, Triplett served as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at USC Upstate from 2008-2010, and prior to that as a volunteer assistant at Clemson University.
 &nbsp;
 The Citadel President Gen. Glenn Walters, USMC (Ret.), '79, was briefed Wednesday morning on the Committee's deliberations and endorsed their selection.
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 "I am extremely confident in the decision to bring on Russell Triplett as our new baseball head coach," Gen. Walters said. "The powerful heritage of this program dates back decades with triumph after triumph serving as the guideposts for the future, and I view this addition to our athletics staff as yet another marker we will look back on with pride."
 &nbsp;
 As a player, Triplett was a four-time letterman and a two-time second-team All-ACC shortstop at Clemson from 2000-04. He played in 222 total games for the Tigers, finishing with an overall batting average of .312. A two-time team captain, Triplett guided Clemson to four NCAA Regional appearances, two NCAA Super Regionals and a College World Series appearance in 2002.
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 Following graduation, Triplett competed as part of the New York Mets organization from 2004 to 2005. He played for the Brooklyn Cyclones (Short Season A) and the Kingsport Mets (Rookie League) in 2004 before moving up to the Binghamton Mets (Double-A) and Hagerstown Suns (Single-A) in 2005.
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 A native of West Columbia, S.C., Triplett earned his Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Clemson. Triplett and his wife, Ciria, are proud parents of three sons.

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Russell Triplett Introduced as The Citadel Baseball Head Coach

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DALLAS, Texas –&nbsp;Samford senior pitcher&nbsp;Michael Ross and UNCG designated hitter, Caleb Cozart,&nbsp;were named first team&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportswriters.net/ncbwa/news/2024/06/12/ncbwa-announces-2024-division-i-all-america-teams">All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association</a>&nbsp;(NCBWA), while Samford second baseman&nbsp;John Anderson&nbsp;earned third team honors when the association announced its postseason honors Wednesday. &nbsp; Ross turned in an impressive season in 2024 that saw him set a school record with a 13-0 record. His 13 wins are the most in the Southern Conference and are tied for the most in the nation. He also led the SoCon with a 3.27 earned run average. Ross recorded 88 strikeouts this season, while allowing just 21 walks. &nbsp; Following the season, Ross was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year and first team All-SoCon. Earlier this week, Ross was named first team All-Southeast Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). This is the first time a Samford players has been named first team All-American since Brooks Carlson in 2020. Cozart&nbsp;paced the Spartans offensively this season in batting average (.332), slugging percentage (.742) and on-base percentage (.474). Cozart was recently named The Southern Conference (SoCon) Coaches’ Player of the Year. He&nbsp;broke UNCG’s single-season record for home runs (22) when he hit his 18th of the season on April 24 against High Point. Cozart also tied Kennedy Jones (2022-23) for the program’s single-season high for RBI (73) during the SoCon Tournament at Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina.In just two seasons as a Spartan, Cozart stands at fifth on UNCG’s top-10 list for home runs with 29. He earned spots on four all-conference teams this season, including being voted to the coaches and media first teams as a designated hitter as well as both second teams as a first baseman. Cozart was named SoCon Player of the Week twice this season (Feb. 19 &amp; April 29) and was also crowned Perfect Game Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 20. &nbsp; Anderson led Samford with a .382 batting average this season, ranking second in the SoCon in the category. He led the SoCon with 24 doubles, to go along with his 13 home runs and team-high 69 RBI. &nbsp; Anderson was named first team All-SoCon at the conclusion of the season. Earlier this week, Anderson earned second team All-Southeast Region honors from the ABCA. &nbsp; Previous NCBWA All-America teams from 1996-2023 have featured the likes of P Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State, OF J.D. Drew of Florida State, P-DH Jason Jennings of Baylor, 1B Mark Teixeira of Georgia Tech, RHP Mark Prior of Southern California, SS Khalil Greene of Clemson, SS-2B Rickie Weeks of Southern, 3B Alex Gordon of Nebraska, P David Price of Vanderbilt, P-DH Brad Lincoln of Houston, C Buster Posey of Florida State, catcher Mike Zunino of Florida, 3B Kris Bryant of San Diego, P-1B A.J. Reed from Kentucky; OF Andrew Benintendi from Arkansas, OF Seth Beer of Clemson, UTIL Brendan McKay from Louisville, Florida P Brady Singer, Oregon State C Adley Rutschman, Arkansas RP Kevin Kopps and Texas 1B Ivan Melendez, among others. &nbsp; Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters, and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com.

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Three athletes receive All-America honors from NCBWA

SPARTANBURG, S.C. –&nbsp;Four Southern Conference baseball players earned spots on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abca.org/ABCA/Awards/All-Region/NCAA_Div_I/2024.aspx?hkey=e85a4e68-8607-4a03-894e-09fa78d057bc">2024 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-Region Teams</a>. The teams are voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America Committee.
 &nbsp;
 UNCG's Caleb Cozart&nbsp;was a first-team selection in the Atlantic Region, while Wofford's Zac Cowan earned second-team honors in the region. ETSU’s&nbsp;Cameron Sisneros and Nick Iannantone&nbsp;earned a second-team nod in the Southeast region.
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 First-team All-Region selections are nominated for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-America teams will be announced the morning of Friday, June 14, prior to the start of the 2024 NCAA Div. I College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
 &nbsp;
 Cozart&nbsp;paced the Spartans offensively this season in batting average (.332), slugging percentage (.742) and on-base percentage (.474). Cozart was recently named The Southern Conference (SoCon) Coaches' Player of the Year. He broke UNCG's single-season record for home runs (22) when he hit his 18th of the season on April 24 against High Point. Cozart also tied&nbsp;Kennedy Jones&nbsp;(2022-23) for the program's single-season high for RBI (73) during the SoCon Tournament at Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina.
 &nbsp;
 Sisneros put together one of the best offensive seasons in the history of ETSU baseball in 2024. Sisneros led ETSU in slugging percentage (.766), RBI (86), multi-RBI games (22), home runs (23), and total bases (164). His 86 RBI broke the single season program record in that category, while his 23 home runs were the second-most ever by a Buc in a single campaign. Hitting .369 with an OPS of 1.259, Sisneros earned SoCon Player of the Year honors by the league's media members. He is the first ETSU player to earn conference player of the year honors since 2010 when Paul Hoilman garnered the same recognition in the Atlantic Sun. Sisneros is the first SoCon Player of the Year for ETSU since 2004 (Caleb Moore). Sisneros ended his time with ETSU by reaching base in 79 straight games and ended the season with more home runs (23) than strikeouts (20).
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 Iannantone played a key role in sparking the Buccaneer offense. The senior from Plainfield, Illinois led ETSU in batting average (.387), at-bats (217), runs scored (65), hits (84), multi-hit games (26), walks (51), and on-base percentage (.505). He also concluded the season on an 18-game hitting streak and a 24-game reached base streak. Iannantone, who landed a spot on the All-SoCon Second Team as a designated hitter, played well during the Bucs' run in the SoCon Tournament late last month hitting .429 with nine runs scored. For his efforts during the Tournament, Iannantone landed a spot on the SoCon's All-Tournament Team.
 &nbsp;
 Cowan finished the season 10-2, recording wins in two Southern Conference Tournament victories and the Terriers' first ever NCAA Tournament win against LIU.&nbsp;By reaching 10 wins, Cowan is one shy of the program's single-season record and just the eighth Terrier pitcher ever to record double-digit wins in a season.This season he recorded a 3.35 era in 110 innings pitched. Cowan struck out 124 batters trough the course of the season including a game high 14 against Mercer in April.

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Four earn ABCA/Rawlings All-Region honors

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –&nbsp;The Wofford baseball team jumped on the defending national champion LSU early with five runs in the first inning, but the Tigers would fight back and ultimately take a 13-6 win in the Chapel Hill Regional Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. The third-seeded Terriers end a historic campaign at 42-20 and the No. 2 seed Tigers improve to 42-22.
 &nbsp;
 "We played hard, really hard until the end," said head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/j-j-edwards/1252">J.J. Edwards</a>. "We ask a lot out of our guys, and we're happy we got a chance to be in a regional. Don't love the way we went out of course, but that's because we're competitive. Tip our hat to LSU; they played really good baseball for nine innings. We got out to an early lead and couldn't hold on to it, but I'm really proud of our guys."
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 The Terriers conclude their campaign with 42 wins to tie the program's record for a season (2022). Wofford set numerous program records throughout the season and entered the NCAA Tournament top five in the country in multiple offensive categories, including runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage. Among the plethora of records the 2024 squad topped were runs scored (617), hits (716), triples (33), RBI (559), walks drawn (317), sacrifice flies (41) and hit by pitch (108). By claiming the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament championship, Wofford secured its second-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, and the Terriers downed Long Island 5-2 yesterday to notch the program's first-ever regional win.
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 Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/camden-wicker/8427">Camden Wicker</a>&nbsp;started for Wofford and turned in an excellent outing, tossing 4.0 innings with three runs allowed on seven hits. He issued no walks and tallied six strikeouts, just one shy of his career high.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/kenny-michaels/8424">Kenny Michaels</a>&nbsp;tossed 2.0 innings with&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/mike-eggert/8267">Mike Eggert</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/champ-davis/8266">Champ Davis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/mason-compton/8417">Mason Compton</a>&nbsp;each pitching one inning. The loss was assessed to Michaels (3-2). Davis hurled a scoreless frame with a strikeout, and Compton added a punchout of his own.
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 "I just wanted to give everything I got for these guys (the seniors) and for J.J. and put everything out on the field and leave nothing and have no regrets for whatever happens," said Wicker of getting the start against LSU in a do-or-die contest.
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 Griffin Herring (6-1) picked up the win for LSU after pitching 6.1 innings in relief with one run allowed on five hits.
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 The Tigers posted 21 hits compared to the eight of Wofford.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/marshall-toole/8285">Marshall Toole</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/brice-martinez/8276">Brice Martinez</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-mannelly/8274">Andrew Mannelly</a>&nbsp;each posted two hits with Mannelly adding an RBI.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/daniel-jackson/8422">Daniel Jackson</a>&nbsp;extended his on-base streak to 51 games with a hit and an RBI.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick</a>&nbsp;added a double for Wofford's final hit, the lone extra-base knock of the game for the Terriers. The senior concluded his career with two RBI.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/dixon-black/8262">Dixon Black</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-wiley/8289">David Wiley</a>&nbsp;each added an RBI. Toole reached three total times with a walk added in, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/lucas-manning/8488">Lucas Manning</a>&nbsp;worked the other Terrier free pass.
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 With his RBI, Black reached 76 on the season to set a new single-season program record for RBI. He tops the previous high of 75 set in 2010 by Mac Doyle.
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 "Being here on this stage and being able to compete the way we did makes it easier to go out," said Renwick of his final collegiate game coming in a regional. "We came here and showed who we were for these games and this regional and competed the whole way, and we just have a great group of guys that love each other and came together and showed everybody what we were about."
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 "It makes it a lot easier, obviously, going out in a regional," added Black, also a senior. "Hopefully we set a good standard for the teams that follow, and I just hope that this class and this team specifically has set a foundation for the future."
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 Wofford came out of the gates hot.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/camden-wicker/8427">Camden Wicker</a>&nbsp;opened the top of the first with a 1-2-3 frame, putting down two Tigers swinging. His offense rewarded him in the bottom of the inning with a five-run outburst, batting around with 10 men coming to the plate.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/marshall-toole/8285">Marshall Toole</a>&nbsp;singled, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/brice-martinez/8276">Brice Martinez</a>&nbsp;added one of his own with a bunt to the open space in a shifted infield. With two on,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/daniel-jackson/8422">Daniel Jackson</a>&nbsp;singled up the middle to plate the game's first run. In true Terrier fashion,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-wiley/8289">David Wiley</a>&nbsp;placed another bunt down, and the throw home was too late as a second run scored. Later in the inning, a bases-loaded catcher's interference put&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-mannelly/8274">Andrew Mannelly</a>&nbsp;on first and scored Jackson.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick</a>&nbsp;then ripped a double to left that scored two more, and Wofford held a quick 5-0 lead.
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 LSU responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second. A sacrifice fly opened the scoring for the Tigers, and two singles would push across another run. But Wicker limited the damage by notching the third out at first with a smooth pick-off, holding the margin to 5-2.
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 The Tigers got one more run in the top of the fourth with an RBI single, but Wofford got that run right back in the bottom of the inning. Mannelly singled and would later score when&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/dixon-black/8262">Dixon Black</a>&nbsp;lifted a sacrifice fly. The Wofford lead was 6-3 after four frames.
 &nbsp;
 In the top of the fifth, LSU plated three runs to pull level. A pair scored on a two-run home run, and then an RBI single evened the game at 6-6.
 &nbsp;
 LSU added two more runs in the top of the seventh to claim the lead. A sacrifice fly plated the go-ahead run, and another run came home on an infield single. The Tigers were ahead 8-6.
 &nbsp;
 They did not look back from there, adding three runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth. Despite its best efforts, Wofford was unable to mount its own comeback and ultimately fell 13-6.
 &nbsp;
 "I'm proud of them of course for the wins because people remember the wins, but I'm more proud of them for setting the standard," said Edwards of the historic 2024 squad. "That is the biggest thing. I'm a first-year head coach, and of course I've known these guys for a long time, but if you show up in September to November when nobody's really watching Wofford baseball, and we're not in the media attention yet, you will see the same team diving for every ball, playing really hard… and it is not seen because it's not on television, but that's just the standard these guys set every single day. I'm just fortunate that they did that and that I got to coach them as their head coach."
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 After a historic season, the Terriers will return to the field in the fall to begin preseason preparations for the 2025 campaign, in which Wofford will look to defend its 2024 SoCon Championship.

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Wofford Concludes Historic 2024 Season in Chapel Hill Regional

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –&nbsp;In what was a pitchers' duel early, the Wofford baseball team utilized a three-run sixth inning to extend a lead it would not relent Saturday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium en route to a historic 5-2 victory over Long Island (LIU). The three-seeded Terriers staved off elimination and improve to 42-19 on the season with the No. 4 seed Sharks seeing their season end at 33-25.
 &nbsp;
 " LIU was really good," said head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/j-j-edwards/1252">J.J. Edwards</a>&nbsp;after the game. "As a northeast guy myself I knew they were tough; I knew they were battle tested. I know they go on the road early and play some good teams , and that is exactly what we saw today. That guy [Jared Hughes] had a lot of moxie on the mound just battling and keeping our offense, which is a really good offense, down for an extended period of time , and we're just fortunate to have these two guys [<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/zac-cowan/8265">Zac Cowan</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/champ-davis/8266">Champ Davis</a>] toeing the rubber and keeping those guys down to give our offense a chance to start to execute and take advantage of it. We played good enough to win, and it was more defense and pitching, so credit to these guys."
 &nbsp;
 The triumph is the first-ever NCAA Tournament win for Wofford in just the program's second appearance. At 42 wins on the season, the Terriers have matched their program record for wins, tying the prior mark from the 2022 campaign.
 &nbsp;
 "I just look back at all the guys who are pieces of the foundation," said Edwards of the team's first NCAA Tournament victory. "Jesse Morris, who is the orthopedic surgeon on site, was a 2014 Wofford grad and pitcher, and he was a part of this. And then all those guys just having pieces of the foundation looking up and coming to support us and doing everything like that. Now for this team – these guys work really hard and deserve everything they get, and I'm just fortunate enough to be the guy that they call the head coach."
 &nbsp;
 Wofford needed just a pair of sophomores to hold the game down on the hill, starting&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/zac-cowan/8265">Zac Cowan</a>&nbsp;(10-2) who turned in 6.0 scoreless innings to claim the win. He allowed seven hits and one walk while striking out six batters. By reaching 10 wins, Cowan is one shy of the program's single-season record and just the eighth Terrier pitcher ever to record double-digit wins in a season.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/champ-davis/8266">Champ Davis</a>&nbsp;(1) polished off the final 3.0 innings to secure his first-career save. He surrendered just two runs on four hits but did not walk a batter, and he added three punchouts.
 &nbsp;
 "I think nothing really changes for me," said Cowan of his mindset as the starter in an elimination game. "I think it's trusting preparation throughout the whole week and getting back to what makes us successful, trusting our pitching coach, trusting our defense behind me. Like I said nothing really changes; it's helped us all year and made us successful all year, so I wanted to do good for us today."
 &nbsp;
 Though the Sharks out-hit the Terriers 11-5 in the contest, Wofford proved to be more clutch in crunch-time moments on both sides of the ball. The Terrier pitching staff and defense forced LIU to strand 13 runners on base. On top of that, the Wofford hitters took advantage of multiple free passes, compiling five walks and four hit batsmen for nine free baserunners. Meanwhile Wofford issued only four free bases with just one walk and three hit batters.
 &nbsp;
 Wofford's five hits were dispersed evenly among five batters:&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/marshall-toole/8285">Marshall Toole</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/brice-martinez/8276">Brice Martinez</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/daniel-jackson/8422">Daniel Jackson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-wiley/8289">David Wiley</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-mannelly/8274">Andrew Mannelly</a>. Martinez, Jackson and Mannelly each added an RBI with&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick</a>&nbsp;also posting one with his sacrifice fly. Mannelly tallied the lone extra-base hit with a double. In recording a hit and a walk, Jackson extended his program-record on-base streak to 50 games, becoming the first Terrier to ever reach the mark.
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 Toole and Wiley each swiped a base in the contest. Toole's was his 43rd&nbsp;of the season, moving him within one of the national lead.
 &nbsp;
 After the first two frames were scoreless for both squads,&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/zac-cowan/8265">Zac Cowan</a>&nbsp;forced another zero on the board for the Sharks to turn things over to his offense.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/marshall-toole/8285">Marshall Toole</a>&nbsp;ripped a single to center and promptly swiped second. From there, he scored the first run of the game on an RBI single by&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/brice-martinez/8276">Brice Martinez</a>&nbsp;as Wofford claimed a 1-0 edge.
 &nbsp;
 Pitching continued to be the theme of the contest for the next few innings. LIU's best chance against Cowan came in the top of the sixth with runners on the corners and two outs, but Cowan clutched up with a strikeout to strand the pair and keep the Wofford lead 1-0.
 &nbsp;
 The Terriers found a rhythm in the bottom of the sixth with three runs.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-wiley/8289">David Wiley</a>&nbsp;drew a walk and stole second, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-hare/8419">Tyler Hare</a>&nbsp;was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. A wild pitch allowed both to advance, and the catcher's throw to second sailed away to allow Wiley to scurry home.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/lucas-manning/8488">Lucas Manning</a>&nbsp;also wore a pitch, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-mannelly/8274">Andrew Mannelly</a>&nbsp;doubled to left to push Hare home.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick</a>&nbsp;followed with a sacrifice fly to score Manning, and the Terrier lead grew to 4-0.
 &nbsp;
 LIU got onto the board in top of the seventh. A hit batsman and single put two runners on base for the Sharks, and back-to-back RBI singles halved the margin to 4-2.
 &nbsp;
 But Wofford responded in the bottom of the inning to add a run.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/dixon-black/8262">Dixon Black</a>&nbsp;drew a walk and moved to second on a groundout. He then came around to score on&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/daniel-jackson/8422">Daniel Jackson's</a>&nbsp;single through the left side, pushing the Wofford lead up to 5-2.
 &nbsp;
 The score would stand there, as though the Terriers could not get another run, neither could the Sharks. Their best chance came in the top of the eighth with runners on first and third and two outs, but&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/champ-davis/8266">Champ Davis</a>&nbsp;clamped down and tallied a strikeout for the third out of the inning to escape the jam. He then put LIU down in order in the ninth to seal the 5-2 Terrier triumph.
 &nbsp;
 "This senior class has been so great, and I just think about how hard they've worked and how well they've led us," said Davis after closing out the program's first regional win. "It's really cool to see that come together and get the first program win (in an NCAA Tournament) for a program that has been so great and done so much, so it's really cool."&nbsp;

Cowan.jpg

Wofford Wins its First-Ever NCAA Tournament Game

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –&nbsp;The Southern Conference champion Wofford baseball team had the defending national champion LSU on the ropes early with a 2-0 lead going into the seventh inning at Boshamer Stadium Friday afternoon, but the Tigers ultimately came back to win 4-3 in a tight contest. The third-seeded Terriers drop to 41-19 after the first game of the Chapel Hill Regional, and the second-seeded Tigers improve to 41-21.
 &nbsp;
 "I thought it was a good game," said head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/j-j-edwards/1252">J.J. Edwards</a>&nbsp;"I felt like (Gage) J ump was settling in, and we got to him early, and then he really got rolling and got that breaking ball on the plate. And we needed to score early and w e did. And then we were just trying to hang on for dear life because those guys got rolling a little bit . J ump got rolling and kind of kept our bats down, and we couldn't run our offense because we were n ' t getting on to start. Branton (Little) was phenome nal for us as he's sitting up here with us. He was phenomenal – kept them off balance . I feel like we were asking him to do a lot ... throw four pitches on the plate . He was competing, winning a lot of 3 - 2 pitches and just kind of ran out of steam in the end. "
 &nbsp;
 <a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/branton-little/8273">Branton Little</a>&nbsp;started on the bump in Wofford's first regional game since 2007, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings with just two hits and three walks allowed. He struck out three batters.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/kenny-michaels/8424">Kenny Michaels</a>&nbsp;pitched 2.0 innings as the first of two out of the bullpen, allowing only one run on one hit. He struck out two and walked just one.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/alec-bouchard/8415">Alec Bouchard</a>&nbsp;(0-5) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of work with a strikeout.
 &nbsp;
 "I was able to get my fastball in and cutter on plate and then kind of expanding, being able to get that changeup on the plate is something I haven't been able to do a lot against righties this year," said Little of hits outing. "But being able to mix that in, it helped and continuing to make pitches in big spots and allo wing our guys to get a chance. "
 &nbsp;
 LSU reliever Griffin Herring (5-1) secured the win with a scoreless inning of work as the final Tiger out of the bullpen.
 &nbsp;
 Wofford out-hit LSU in the contest by a 7-6 margin.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/brice-martinez/8276">Brice Martinez</a>&nbsp;led the way with three of the knocks as the only Terrier with multiple hits, one of which was a double.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/daniel-jackson/8422">Daniel Jackson</a>&nbsp;added a double to extend his on-base streak to 49 contests, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick's</a>&nbsp;lone hit was a solo home run, his fifth of the season.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/lucas-manning/8488">Lucas Manning</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-mannelly/8274">Andrew Mannelly</a>&nbsp;each added a hit. Mannelly, Renwick and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-hare/8419">Tyler Hare</a>&nbsp;added an RBI each for Wofford's three runs. The lone steal for the Terriers came from Manning.
 &nbsp;
 Despite the Terriers tallying one more hit, LSU relied heavily on the long ball. The Tigers hit four solo home runs that ultimately proved the difference.
 &nbsp;
 After both teams went scoreless in the first inning, Wofford struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/daniel-jackson/8422">Daniel Jackson</a>&nbsp;opened the frame with a double to right center, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-wiley/8289">David Wiley</a>&nbsp;bunted him over to third. The Terriers manufactured their first run with a&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-hare/8419">Tyler Hare</a>&nbsp;sacrifice fly.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/lucas-manning/8488">Lucas Manning</a>&nbsp;added a single and then swiped second base, and&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/andrew-mannelly/8274">Andrew Mannelly's</a>&nbsp;RBI single through the right side pushed Manning home for the 2-0 lead.
 &nbsp;
 Pitching settled in for both teams from there as&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/branton-little/8273">Branton Little</a>&nbsp;pitched a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the second to kick off five-straight scoreless innings for both teams. From the third to the sixth inning, Little and then&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/kenny-michaels/8424">Kenny Michaels</a>&nbsp;(sixth inning) stranded one Tiger on base per frame to hold LSU scoreless. But the Tigers broke through with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to halve the margin, 2-1.
 &nbsp;
 However, Wofford responded immediately.&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick</a>&nbsp;clubbed a solo shot of his own to left field in top of the eighth to push the Terrier advantage to 3-1.
 &nbsp;
 But the Tigers played long ball twice more in the bottom of the frame. A pair of solo homers in the bottom of the eighth leveled the game at 3-3 entering the ninth.
 &nbsp;
 After Wofford was unable to score in the top of the frame, LSU came to bat in the bottom of the inning. Carrying its momentum to the plate, the Tigers hit a walk-off solo home run to escape with a 4-3 win.
 &nbsp;
 "Yeah, we got a tough group of guys," said senior&nbsp;<a href="https://woffordterriers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-renwick/8279">Jack Renwick</a>&nbsp;of needing to bounce back in the losers' bracket. "We're a close group of guys also. We know what it takes to come out and compete, so we'll stick to that. We'll always lean back on how close we are as a group, and we'll come back and compete. "

WOF_Renwick_Baseball.jpg

Wofford falls to LSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

No. 5 Wofford 10, No. 2 Samford 9
 GREENVILLE, S.C. –&nbsp;Wofford starting pitcher Zac Cowan scattered eight hits over seven innings and the Terriers withstood a furious late rally by No. 2 seed Samford to edge the Bulldogs, 10-9, on Sunday to force a winner-takes-all Game 13 at the 2024 Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.
 &nbsp;
 The contest marked the eighth SoCon Tournament meeting in six years between the two teams, with the series even at four wins apiece.

 Facing the Bulldogs for the second time in less than 24 hours, Wofford wasted little time in getting its potent offense going. The Terriers took advantage of four singles, scoring three times in the top half of the first inning. Marshall Toole led off the game with an infield single and quickly swiped his league-leading 41st base of the season. Two batters later, Brice Martinez drew a four-pitch walk. Daniel Jackson followed with a single through the right side to plate Toole with the game’s first run. Tyler Hare and Lucas Manning each added RBI singles to give the Terriers a quick 3-0 advantage. &nbsp;

 The Terriers capitalized on clutch two-out hitting to add another run in the second frame. Dixon Black notched his first hit of the afternoon with a two-out single. Martinez then doubled to bring home Black, building Wofford’s lead to 4-0.

 Wofford added two more runs in the fourth. Andrew Mannelly began the inning by homering beyond the right-field fence. Toole added a single and came around to score the Terriers’ sixth run when Martinez singled through the left side. &nbsp;

 Samford’s offense woke up in bottom of the fourth when John Anderson and Andrew Bennett both doubled down the left-field line with two outs. Aaron Walton added a run-scoring single to plate Bennett, trimming the Terriers’ lead to four.

 Josh Rodriguez nearly ignited the Samford offense further after opening the bottom of the sixth with a double down the left-field line but ended up stranded at third. &nbsp;

 Wofford extended its lead to 7-2 in the seventh inning. Jackson drew a one-out walk in the top of the inning and moved to third on David Wiley’s single through the left side. Hare then laid down a bunt on an 0-1 pitch that scored Jackson.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Samford inched closer with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Parker McDonald laid down a bunt single with one out and moved into scoring position when the ball was thrown away. Staton followed by clubbing a 1-1 pitch beyond the fence in right center field for his 19th homer of the season.

 Wofford added three runs on Hare’s one-out home run in the top of the ninth to wrap up the Terriers’ scoring. &nbsp;

 With Samford trailing by six, Rodriguez opened the bottom of the ninth with his second double of the game. One out later, Staton singled. With runners on first and third, Garrett Howe lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that brought Rodriguez across the plate. Lucas Steele walked to get two runners on base and both scored on Anderson’s second double of the afternoon. With two outs, Bennett hammered a two-run homer to get the Bulldogs within just one run. Walton followed with a single to get the tying run on base, but the late rally fell just shy.

 Martinez was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Hare was also 3-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and five RBIs. Toole added two singles and scored two runs.

 Walton was 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Staton was 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Anderson added a pair of doubles, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. Bennett finished with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored.

 Cowan, a sophomore, improved to 9-2 on the season. A first-team all-conference selection, the right-hander scattered eight hits over seven innings of work on the mound. He allowed four runs, while striking out seven batters and walking just one. &nbsp;
 Freshman Kenny Michaels (3-1) earned his second save of the season. The left-hander struck out two and walked one in two innings of relief.

 No. 5 Wofford 15, No. 2 Samford 9
 GREENVILLE, S.C. –&nbsp;No. 5 seed Wofford again got off to a fast start behind three four-run innings over the first four frames and went on to upset No. 2 seed Samford, 15-9, on Sunday to claim the 2024 Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.

 Wofford (41-18) won its second tournament championship and first since 2007. The Terriers became the lowest seed to win the tournament championship since the ninth-seeded Terriers defeated The Citadel in 2007. Samford sees its season end at 36-22.

 With the win, Wofford earned the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. The NCAA field will be announced on ESPN2 at noon ET on Monday.

 Dixon Black, Brice Martinez and Daniel Jackson all notched one-out doubles in the top of the first inning, putting the Terriers on top 2-0. Two batters later, Tyler Hare homered for the second time in as any games to give Wofford a quick four-run lead.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Samford took advantage of two errors by the Terrier defense in the bottom of the first to slice the deficit in half.

 Wofford sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the third inning, building an 8-1 advantage. The Terriers loaded the bases with one out after Hare singled to right field, with both Lucas Manning and Andrew Mannelly reaching base after getting hit by a pitch. Jack Renwick followed with a two-run double, and the Terriers plated two more runs on an infield single and a sacrifice fly.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 John Anderson delivered a double in the bottom of the third, as Samford pulled within five after capitalizing on a pair of hits and an error to score two runs.

 Back-to-back walks by Jackson and David Wiley put the first two Terrier runners on base to open the fourth inning. Both runners moved up on Hare’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Manning singled to center. Mannelly put Wofford ahead, 12-3, with his 12th home run of the season.
 &nbsp; &nbsp;
 Wofford claimed a 10-run advantage when Manning again singled with one out in the top of the sixth. He stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Mannelly brought him home with a double to left field. &nbsp;

 The Terriers opened a 15-3 lead when Black and Jackson sandwiched solo home runs around a groundout in the top of the seventh. &nbsp;

 Samford countered by scoring three runs in the bottom of the frame when Jackson Harris tripled and scored on Garrett Staton’s single. Garrett Howe followed with a single to get runners at second and third and Steele followed with a two-run double. &nbsp;

 Harris led off the bottom of the ninth by doubling to right field. Two batters later, Howe singled and both runners scored on Lucas Steele’s three-run homer over the wall in left field but that was as close as Samford would get. &nbsp;

 Jackson was 3-for-5 with a walk, a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored. Manning was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Toole added three singles and an RBI in six trips to the plate. Black, Hare and Mannelly each added two hits, including a home run apiece.

 Steele was 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and five RBIs. Harris was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. Howe added two hits, including a double and a single, while scoring twice. Anderson was 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. &nbsp;

 Wofford freshman Camden Wicker was the beneficiary of the Terriers’ offensive prowess. The right-hander earned his second win of the tournament, pitching into the seventh inning for just the second time this season. He allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out three and walked two.

 Walt Nadzak Award (Tournament Most Outstanding Player)
 Zac Cowan, So., RHP, Wofford
 &nbsp;
 Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
 David Wiley, Jr., OF, Wofford
 &nbsp;
 2024 All-Tournament Team
 SP – Jace Hyde, ETSU
 SP – Miller Riggins, Samford&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;
 SP – Zac Cowan, Wofford
 RP – Daniel Thompson, UNCG
 RP – Carson Lore, Samford&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;
 C – Lucas Steele, Samford
 1B – Ty Dalley, Mercer
 2B – Brice Martinez, Wofford
 SS – Bradley Frye, Mercer
 3B – Garrett Staton, Samford
 OF – Conner Todaro, Mercer
 OF – Andrew Bennett, Samford
 OF – Marshall Toole, Wofford
 DH – Nick Iannantone, ETSU


 2024 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 May 22 (Wednesday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 1: #5 Wofford 8, #8 The Citadel 3
 Game 2: #7 Mercer 19, #6 VMI 14

 May 23 (Thursday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 3: #5 Wofford 12, #4 Western Carolina 1
 Game 4: #7 Mercer 7, #3 ETSU 4

 May 24 (Friday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 5: #5 Wofford 5, #1 UNCG 2
 Game 6:&nbsp; #2 Samford 9, #7 Mercer 7
 Game 7: #3 ETSU 10, #1 UNCG 7
 Game 8: #7 Mercer 10, #4 Western Carolina 8

 May 25 (Saturday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 9: #2 Samford 10, #5 Wofford 1
 Game 10: #3 ETSU 12, #7 Mercer 4
 Game 11: #5 Wofford 13, #3 ETSU 10
 &nbsp;
 May 26 (Sunday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 12:&nbsp; #5 Wofford 10, #2 Samford 9
 Game 13: #5 Wofford 15, #2 Samford 9

Wofford_SoConChampions_Baseball.jpg

Wofford wins 2024 SoCon Baseball Championship

No. 3 ETSU 12, No. 7 Mercer 4
 GREENVILLE, S.C. –&nbsp;No. 3 seed ETSU erupted for eight runs in a decisive seventh inning to defeat No. 7 seed Mercer, 12-4, on Saturday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.

 With the win ETSU (36-19) advanced to face fifth-seeded Wofford (38-18) for the right to meet No. 2 seed Samford (35-20) in the 2024 SoCon Championship title round on Sunday at noon. Mercer sees its season end at 29-29.

 ETSU took advantage of early Mercer miscues to claim a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Tommy Barth drew a one-out walk on four pitches and went to second on a wild pitch. He crossed the plate when Cameron Sisneros reached on an error.

 The Bucs added to their lead with two outs in the second inning.&nbsp; Noah Webb got it started with a single to left field on an 0-2 pitch. He went to third on Jamie Palmese’s single through the right side and after Nick Iannantone was intentionally walked, Barth belted a three-run home run over the left-field wall to give ETSU a 4-0 lead after two innings.

 After Conner Todaro opened the third frame by getting by a pitch, Mercer’s Parker Lester quickly got the Bears on the scoreboard with his 15th home run of the season.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 The Bears got two runners on base in the fifth after Todaro and Lester drew back-to-back one-out walks. Todaro went to third on a fly out to right field and pulled Mercer within 4-3 when Ty Dalley doubled down the left field line.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Mercer’s Bradley Frye rippled a two-out double to the gap in left center field in the top of the seventh to get the tying run in scoring position, but the Bears were unable to capitalize. &nbsp;

 ETSU got the insurance runs it needed and more in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Palmese and Iannantone each singled to open the bottom of the frame. Following Barth’s successful sacrifice bunt, Sisneros was intentionally walked to load the bases. On an 0-1 count Cody Miller singled to center field to bring home both Palmese and Iannantone, giving the Bucs a 6-3 edge. ETSU added five more runs with one out and one with two outs to take a 12-3 lead into the eighth inning.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Mercer notched a solo run in the top of the ninth to finish out the scoring.

 Palmese finished the game with three singles in four at-bats. He added two RBIs and scored a run. Webb was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored twice. Miller was also 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored a run. Barth notched a single, a walk, three RBIs and scored twice.

 Frye was 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and a walk. Prince and Dalley each added a double and a walk while Lester drove in a pair of runs.

 ETSU freshman pitcher Michael Harpster (8-1), a second-team all-conference selection, drew the starting nod for the Bucs but did not factor in the decision. He allowed three runs on three hits over 4.1 innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked three. Redshirt sophomore Derek McCarley improved to 4-2 on the season after working 4.1 innings on the mound. The left-hander gave up one run on four hits. He fanned six batters and issued four walks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

 No. 5 Wofford 13, No. 3 ETSU 10,
 GREENVILLE, S.C. –&nbsp;No. 5 seed Wofford posted three four-run innings enroute to a 13-10 win over No. 3 seed ETSU on Saturday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.

 With the win Wofford (39-18) advanced to face No. 2 seed Samford (35-20) for the second time in less than 24 hours in the 2024 SoCon Championship title round on Sunday at noon. ETSU sees its season end at 36-20.

 Samford is seeking its second straight tournament title and fourth in six seasons. Wofford is looking for its second overall title and its first since 2007. The Terriers are the first five-seed to reach the title contest since Mercer in 2018.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Wofford got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the first inning. Marshall Toole ripped a ground-rule double down the right field line and crossed the plate with the game’s first run when Brice Martinez singled to right field.

 ETSU evened the score with a run in the bottom of the inning. Iannantone and Tommy Barth both singled and the Bucs scored on Cameron Sisneros’ sacrifice fly to right field. &nbsp;

 The Terriers quickly regained the lead in the top of the second. Lucas Manning and Andrew Mannelly both reached base on back-to-back one-out singles and both came around to score. Dixon Black later blasted a two-run homer beyond the center field fence to give Wofford a 5-1 advantage.
 &nbsp; &nbsp;
 ETSU’s Blake Jacklin tripled to lead off the bottom of the second and crossed the plate with the Bucs second run of the night when Jamie Palmese lifted a fly ball to center field.

 An inning later, the Bucs rallied to tie the score at 5-5. Iannantone reached base for the second time of the night with a lead-off walk. Barth then doubled to right center field and Cameron Cisneros followed with his league-leading 23rd home run of the season.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 The Terriers used a two-run homer off the bat of Jack Renwick, a double by Martinez and a two-run single in the top of the fourth inning to regain a 9-5 advantage.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Wofford sent seven batters to the plate in the sixth inning and parlayed four singles and a double into four runs enroute to building a 13-5 lead. The Bucs answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Palmese doubled with one out and scored on Iannantone’s two-out single. Barth brought Iannantone home with a tripe to center field. &nbsp;

 ETSU chipped away at the Terriers’ lead with two runs in the eighth. Palmese walked to open the inning and went to third when Iannantone notched his third hit of the contest by singling through the right side. He scored on Barth’s groundout to second. Iannantone followed with the Bucs’ second run when Sisneros singled.

 With the Bucs down to their final three outs, Ashton King singled and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. He scored when Palmese singled to cut the Wofford lead to three but ETSU was unable to get any closer. &nbsp;

 Martinez was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Manning was also 3-for-5 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Toole finished 2-for-6 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Wiley was 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Renwick was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a home run and two runs scored.

 Iannantone posted three hits, two walks and four runs scored. Barth added three hits, including a double and a triple. He drove in two runs and scored a run.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Wofford senior Mike Eggert (9-3) earned the win after going 5.2 innings on the mound. The right-hander allowed seven runs on 10 hits, while striking out four and walking three. Freshman Alec Bouchard earned his fifth save of the season by holding ETSU to three runs on four hits over the final 3.1 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked two.

 2024 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 May 22 (Wednesday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 1: #5 Wofford 8, #8 The Citadel 3
 Game 2: #7 Mercer 19, #6 VMI 14

 May 23 (Thursday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 3: #5 Wofford 12, #4 Western Carolina 1
 Game 4: #7 Mercer 7, #3 ETSU 4

 May 24 (Friday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 5: #5 Wofford 5, #1 UNCG 2
 Game 6:&nbsp; #2 Samford 9, #7 Mercer 7
 Game 7: #3 ETSU 10, #1 UNCG 7
 Game 8: #7 Mercer 10, #4 Western Carolina 8

 May 25 (Saturday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 9: #2 Samford 10, #5 Wofford 1
 Game 10: #3 ETSU 12, #7 Mercer 4
 Game 11: #5 Wofford 13, #3 ETSU 10
 &nbsp;
 May 26 (Sunday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (SDN)
 Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 12:&nbsp; #2 Samford vs. #5 Wofford, 12 p.m.
 Game 13: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser^, 40 minutes after Game 12

 ^ if necessary

Wofford_DavidWiley_Baseball.jpg

Wofford Wins to Advance at SoCon Baseball Championship

No. 2 Samford 10, No. 5 Wofford 1
 GREENVILLE, S.C.&nbsp;– Samford’s Lucas Steele drove in five runs to power No. 2 seed Samford past No. 5 seed Wofford, 10-1, on Saturday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field. The win sends the Bulldogs through to the title game of the tournament.
 &nbsp;
 Samford (36-20) will be making its second straight appearance in the title game and its fourth in the last five tournaments. Wofford (38-18) will now face either No. 3 seed ETSU (35-19) or No. 7 seed Mercer (29-28) on Saturday at 7 p.m. for the right to face the Bulldogs in the championship contest at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

 The contest marked the seventh SoCon Tournament meeting in six years between the two teams, with Samford now holding a 4-3 edge.

 Wofford jumped out in front early on junior David Wiley’s solo home run over the wall in left field to lead off the second inning.
 Samford threatened to knot the score when John Anderson countered by leading off the bottom of the second with a double to left field. He went to third on Andrew Bennett’s groundout to third base, but the Terrier defense retired the side on two consecutive ground outs. &nbsp;

 Samford did capitalize in the next inning, as Josh Rodriguez led off with a double in the bottom of the third. Jackson Harris was hit by a pitch on the next at-bat and three batters later, Lucas Steele brought Rodriguez home with the tying run on an infield single.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

 Rodriguez reached base for the second time with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth inning. He moved into scoring position when Harris grounded out and went to third on Garrett Staton’s single. With runners at the corners and one out, Rodriguez scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball. Garrett Howe then walked to get two runners on base again. With two outs, Anderson doubled for the second time to bring home Staton with the Bulldogs’ second run of the inning. &nbsp;

 Samford extended its lead with three runs in the sixth inning. The first two Bulldog batters reached base, as Bennett led off by getting hit by a pitch and Aaron Walton singled to right field. With runners on first and third, Bennett crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Two batters later Rodriguez singled and Harris was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. After that, Staton drove in two runs with his second single of the afternoon, boosting the Bulldogs’ lead to 6-1.

 Steele pushed Samford’s cushion to six runs with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh and the Bulldogs put the game out of reach by scoring three runs on Steele’s bases-loaded double with one out in the eighth inning.

 Wofford loaded the bases with no outs in their final frame but came away empty-handed. &nbsp;

 Steele was 3-for-5 at the plate with a home run, a double, a run scored and five RBIs. Anderson finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Staton was 3-for-5 with three singles, two RBIs and two runs scored.

 Jackson was 2-for-3 with a triple, a single and a walk. Wiley finished with a home run in three trips to the plate and Hare added a double and a walk. &nbsp;

 A trio of Samford pitchers limited the Terriers to five hits. Bulldog starter Miller Riggins (2-1), who drew a starting nod for just the third time this season, earned the win after surrendering just one run on four hits over six innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked just one.

 Wofford sophomore Champ Davis (3-1) absorbed the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in an inning of relief. The right-hander walked two.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 2024 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 May 22 (Wednesday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 1: #5 Wofford 8, #8 The Citadel 3
 Game 2: #7 Mercer 19, #6 VMI 14

 May 23 (Thursday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 3: #5 Wofford 12, #4 Western Carolina 1
 Game 4: #7 Mercer 7, #3 ETSU 4

 May 24 (Friday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 5: #5 Wofford 5, #1 UNCG 2
 Game 6:&nbsp; #2 Samford 9, #7 Mercer 7
 Game 7: #3 ETSU 10, #1 UNCG 7
 Game 8: #7 Mercer 10, #4 Western Carolina 8

 May 25 (Saturday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 9: #2 Samford 10, #5 Wofford 1
 Game 10: #3 ETSU vs. #7 Mercer, 3:30 p.m.
 Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. #5 Wofford, 7 p.m.
 &nbsp;
 May 26 (Sunday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (SDN)
 Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 12:&nbsp; #2 Samford vs. Winner Game 11, 12 p.m.
 Game 13: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser^, 40 minutes after Game 12

 ^ if necessary

Samford_John_Anderson_Baseball.jpg

Samford tops Wofford to reach SoCon title tilt

No. 3 ETSU 10, No. 1 UNCG 7
 GREENVILLE, S.C. –&nbsp;No. 3 seed ETSU used a seven-run seventh inning to rally from a six-run deficit as the Bucs
 staved off elimination by defeating top-seeded UNCG, 10-7, on Friday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.

 ETSU (35-19) advances to face (No. 4 seed Western Carolina (28-25) or seventh-seeded Mercer (28-28)) at 3:30 p.m.
 Saturday. UNCG sees its season end at 33-21.

 The game began as a pitcher’s duel. Neither team was able to score in the game’s first five frames.

 UNCG’s Jake Ogden singled to center field with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Two batters later, Luke
 Holland was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for a Jacob Dilley single up the middle, bringing Ogden across for the game’s first run.

 The Spartans lengthened their lead in the seventh inning. Back-to-back two-out singles by Cam Murphy and Aidan Brewer
 gave the squad a pair of baserunners. Ogden then reached on a throwing error, which also allowed Murphy to score, making
 the score 2-0 in favor of UNCG.

 With runners on first and second, Caleb Cozart was intentionally walked to load the bases but the move backfired against ETSU, as Holland belted a full-count pitch over the fence in left center field for a grand slam, putting the Spartans ahead 6-0.

 ETSU began its comeback with one out in the top of the eighth inning. Ryan McCarthy doubled to left field and went to third on Nick Iannantone’s single through the left side. McCarthy later scored on a passed ball for the Bucs’ first run. Tommy Barth drew a full-count walk and Cameron Sisneros singled to right field which loaded the bases.

 Following a fly out, Noah Gent drew a full-count walk to bring home Iannantone with the Bucs’ second run. Blake Jacklin continued ETSU’s rally with a two-run single, moving the score to 6-4. Ashton King gave the Bucs their first lead of the day on the next at-bat with a three-run homer over the center field wall, giving ETSU a 7-6 advantage.

 McCarthy gave ETSU an insurance run with no outs in the top of the ninth with his third homer of the season. Cody Miller and
 Gent hit consecutive sacrifice flies later in the inning to give the squad a four-run advantage.

 But the Spartans were not finished just yet, as Murphy opened the UNCG ninth inning by doubling to the gap in left center
 field. He came around to score on a Cozart RBI-single, but the Spartans could get no closer.

 ETSU starter Jace Hyde (6-4) was the beneficiary of the Bucs’ seventh-inning explosion. The right-hander did not factor in
 the decision after surrendering six runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings on the mound. He struck out eight and walked just two.
 Andrew Ronne (5-5) earned the win in relief after allowing just one run on two hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out three and
 walked one.

 No. 7 Mercer 10, No. 4 Western Carolina 8
 GREENVILLE, S.C. –&nbsp;No. 7 seed Mercer rallied with three runs in the top of the eighth inning on junior Bradley Frye’s ninth home run of the season and held on to defeat No. 3 seed Western Carolina, 10-8, on Friday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.

 Mercer improved to 29-28 on the season, with the win setting up a matchup between the Bears and third-seeded
 ETSU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Mercer defeated ETSU, 7-4, on Thursday (May 23) in the second round of the SoCon
 Tournament. Western Carolina sees its season end at 28-26.

 Mercer’s Parker Lester opened the game with his fourth walk of the tournament and went to second on Frye’s single to center
 field. Both runners moved up when Ty Dalley flied out to center field and both scored on Jackson Cherry’s groundout and an
 error by the Catamounts, respectively.

 Zach Ketterman countered for Western Carolina with a double to right field and moved to third on the throw. He crossed the
 plate with the Catamounts’ first run on Trent Turner’s sacrifice fly.

 Mercer used a pair of home runs, a solo shot by Ely Brown then a two-run homer by Dalley, to build a 5-1 lead in the top of
 the second inning.

 The Bears threatened to widen the gap in the third inning, as Carter Sanford singled up the middle and went to third on
 Brown’s double to left field, but both runners were left stranded.

 Lester began the fourth frame with a single and moved to third base on Dalley’s second straight hit, a single to center, but
 Western Carolina turned a double play to erase the threat. The Catamounts chipped away with two runs in the bottom of the
 inning to close within 5-3. The Bears got one of the runs back, plating a run in the top of the fifth. Brandon Prince doubled down the left-field line and scored when Brown notched his third hit of the contest with a single.

 Following a 1-2-3 inning by Mercer in the top of the sixth inning, James Hinson brought the Catamounts back within two with
 his solo home run to left field as the score stood 6-4 in favor of the Bears. Hayden Friese followed with a walk and Jack
 Spyke added a single to get the tying run on base with just one out. Both runners moved up a base on Kyle Riesselmann’s
 sacrifice bunt and both crossed the plate to knot the score at 6-6 on a double by Ketterman. After Trent Turner walked, Drew
 Needham came through with a clutch two-run double to give Western Carolina its first lead of the night, at 8-6.

 Cherry responded for the Bears with a solo home run to open the seventh inning. One inning later, the Bears’ Conner
 Todaro walked with one out in the top of the eighth inning and Lester followed with a single. On the next at-bat Frye
 belted Mercer’s fourth home run of the night to regain a 10-8 lead for the Bears.

 Western Carolina made one last effort in the final frame. Needham led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to right field
 and went to second on Mason Holton’s groundout, but the Catamounts were unable to capitalize.

 Brown was 3-for-5 at the plate with a home run, a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Lester was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored, while Frye went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Sanford was also 2-for-4 with a walk. Dalley was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.

 Riesselmann notched a pair of singles in three trips to the plate. Ketterman was 2-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Needham added a double and a single, while driving in a pair of runs. Spyke was 2-for-4 and scored a run.

 Jaxon O’Neal, the fifth Mercer pitcher of the night, improved to 2-2 on the season after giving up just a single over 1.2
 innings. The left-hander struck out one and did not issue a walk. Colton Cosper earned his second save of the year after
 working the final 1.1 innings. Also a left-hander, he struck out one and did not issue a walk.

 2024 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 May 22 (Wednesday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 (Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 1: #5 Wofford 8, #8 The Citadel 3
 Game 2: #7 Mercer 19, #6 VMI 14

 May 23 (Thursday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 3: #5 Wofford 12, #4 Western Carolina 1
 Game 4: #7 Mercer 7, #3 ETSU 4

 May 24 (Friday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 5: #5 Wofford 5, #1 UNCG 2
 Game 6:&nbsp; #2 Samford 9, #7 Mercer 7
 Game 7: #3 ETSU 10, #1 UNCG 7
 Game 8: #7 Mercer 10, #4 Western Carolina 8

 May 25 (Saturday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
 &nbsp;(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 9: #5 Wofford vs. #2 Samford, 12 p.m.
 Game 10: #3 ETSU vs. #7 Mercer, 3:30 p.m.
 Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 9, 7 p.m.
 &nbsp;
 May 26 (Sunday)
 SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (SDN)
 Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
 Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11, 12 p.m.
 Game 13: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser^, 40 minutes after Game 12

 ^ if necessary

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