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Wofford, Mercer Win at SoCon Baseball Championship
Terriers and Bears both get Stellar Pitching Performances
No. 5 Wofford 12, No. 4 Western Carolina 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Fifth-seeded Wofford erupted for eight runs with two outs in the top of the first inning enroute to a 12-1, seven-inning win over No. 4 seed Western Carolina on Thursday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.
Wofford (37-17), which has won five of its last six outings, advances to face No. 1 seed UNCG (33-19) at 9 a.m. Friday, while Western Carolina (28-25) falls to the losers’ bracket and will play an opponent yet to be determined on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
After seeing its first two batters retired on fly balls to start the game, Wofford sent 12 batters to the plate, eventually scoring eight runs with two outs to jump out to what turned out to be an insurmountable lead. The Terriers capitalized on three walks, a pair of singles, a double and an error to gain the early upper hand. Brice Martinez worked the count full before drawing a two-out walk, then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error before Daniel Jackson, the league’s Freshman of the Year, also worked the count full and drew another walk to get runners on the corners with two outs.
Tyler Hare followed with a clutch single to right field, bringing home Martinez and putting runners at first and third again, before David Wiley walked to load the bases. Lucas Manning was then hit by a pitch on an 0-2 pitch, which brought home the Terriers’ second run, with Adam Haber continuing to add pressure by posting a single to center field and plating another two runners. Jack Renwick laid down a bunt to score another run, with Toole tripling to right field and pushing Wofford’s lead to 7-0. Dixon Black then added another extra-base hit with a double to the gap in right center field and the Terriers’ cushion grew to eight runs.
Zach Ketterman countered for Western Carolina by leading off the bottom half of the first inning with a double to right field, but was left stranded in scoring position. The Catamounts’ James Hinson belted his 12th home run of the season with one out in the bottom of the second inning to get the Catamounts on the scoreboard.
Wofford threatened again in the top of the fourth inning when Black laced a one-out single to center field and moved into scoring position when Martinez followed with his second walk of the afternoon. He went to third on a fielder’s choice but was left there when the Catamounts recorded the third out on a ground ball.
Wofford built an 11-1 advantage on Jackson’s three-run homer with no outs in the top of the sixth inning. It was the Sandy Springs, Georgia, native’s third home run in four games and his 11th of the season.
Toole walked to lead off the seventh inning and promptly stole second for his league-leading 39th stolen base of the season, which also tied the school record for steals in a season. He crossed the plate with Wofford’s 12th run of the contest on an error by the Catamounts.
Black was 2-for-4 at the plate, with a double and a walk. He also drove in a run and scored a run. Renwick finished the afternoon with a pair of hits in four at-bats, while also driving in a run and scoring a run. Jackson was 1-for-4, with a home run, a walk and three RBIs. Martinez and Wiley each recorded a hit and reached base twice on a pair of walks.
Western Carolina’s Harbison was 2-for-3 on the afternoon, while Ketterman was 1-for-3 with a double. Hinson was 1-for-3 with a home run.
Wofford pitcher Camden Wicker, who earned SoCon all-freshman team recognition, improved to 3-3 on the season. The right-hander limited Western Carolina to one run on four hits, while striking out four and issuing just one walk over six innings.
Western Carolina’s Gavin Mortenson, who was the first of seven Catamount pitchers, fell to 4-6 after surrendering eight runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning. He walked three batters.
No. 7 Mercer 7, No. 3 ETSU 4
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Seventh-seeded Mercer rallied for its second upset in as many days, as the Bears toppled No. 3 seed ETSU, 7-4, on Thursday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.
Mercer (28-27) moves on to face No. 2 seed Samford (34-20) on Friday at 12:30 p.m., while ETSU (34-19) drops to the losers’ bracket and will take on either UNCG or Wofford on Friday at 4 p.m.
Mercer threatened early after getting two runners on base in the top of the opening frame, after Parker Lester opened the nightcap with a walk. Bradley Frye followed with an infield single, but ETSU starting pitcher Carter Fink settled in and recorded three consecutive outs to work out of the jam.
The right-hander went on to retire nine consecutive batters before hitting the Bears’ Carter Sanford with a pitch in the top of the fifth inning.
ETSU’s Jamie Palmese led off the bottom of the third with a single to right field and stole second just before Nick Iannantone was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, the Mercer defense turned a double play to escape the inning unscathed.
The Bucs’ Cody Miller and Noah Gent led off the bottom of the fourth frame with back-to-back singles and both runners moved up a spot on Blake Jacklin’s sacrifice bunt. ETSU then loaded the bases with just one out when Noah Webb was hit by a pitch and plated the game’s first run when Ashton King grounded out to the shortstop.
Mercer’s Carter Sanford was hit by a pitch to begin the fifth inning, with Brandon Prince laying down a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position. Ely Brown followed by beating out an infield single, with Sanford moving to third base, but with runners at the corners and just one out, ETSU stepped up and turned a double play to preserve the narrow lead.
Iannantone walked and Tommy Barth was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fifth inning and following a pitching change, the Bucs’ Cameron Sisneros capitalized by doubling to right field, driving in Iannantone for ETSU’s second run. Two batters later, Gent walked to load the bases with one out, but it was the Bears’ turn to record their second inning-ending double play of the night.
Mercer got on the scoreboard and sliced the deficit in half with two outs in the top half of the sixth after Jackson Cherry singled to bring Ty Dalley across the plate following the Vidalia, Georgia, native’s double to right field.
ETSU’s Webb became the game’s sixth lead-off baserunner after drawing a walk to start the bottom of the sixth inning but was left stranded.
Sanford, Prince and Brown opened Mercer’s half of the seventh inning with three consecutive singles, with all three crossing the plate on Conner Todaro’s bases-clearing double down the left field line. After Todaro moved to third on a wild pitch, Bradley Frye lifted a fly ball deep enough into center field to score Todaro with the Bears’ fifth run.
With ETSU trailing 5-2 and the bases empty, Sisneros belted his 22nd home run of the season over the fence in right center with one out in the bottom of the inning.
Todaro boosted Mercer’s lead to 7-3 with a two-out, two-run homer to left field in the top of the eighth. ETSU’s Jacklin reached base for the second time of the night after leading off the home half of the eighth getting hit by a pitch. Following a walk by Webb, Palmese bounced into a fielder’s choice to move Jacklin to third and he scored on Iannantone’s single to left field. Barth walked to load the bases, getting the tying run on base with two outs, but ETSU was unable to get closer than three.
Todaro went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, five RBIs and two runs scored, with Dalley adding a pair of doubles and a run scored in five trips to the plate. Cherry was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Brown chipped in a pair of hits, a walk and two runs scored.
Sisneros finished with three of ETSU’s seven hits and drove in two runs.
Mercer starting pitcher Wesley Franklin did not factor into the decision after allowing two runs on four hits over four innings. The right-hander walked two batters and struck out two. Bryant Olson (2-2) earned the win by allowing just two runs on two hits. He walked three batters and struck out four. Jess Ackerman captured his first save of the season after limiting the Bucs to one hit over the final two innings. He struck out four and walked two.
ETSU’s Carter Fink (6-2) absorbed the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander fanned three batters and walked one.
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+)
(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+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 5: #5 Wofford vs. #1 UNCG, 9 a.m.
Game 6: #7 Mercer vs. #2 Samford, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7: #3 ETSU vs. Loser Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 8: #4 Western Carolina vs. Loser Game 6, 7:30 p.m.
May 25 (Saturday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 12 p.m.
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 3:30 p.m.
Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 9, 7 p.m.
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
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Fifth-seeded Wofford erupted for eight runs with two outs in the top of the first inning enroute to a 12-1, seven-inning win over No. 4 seed Western Carolina on Thursday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.
Wofford (37-17), which has won five of its last six outings, advances to face No. 1 seed UNCG (33-19) at 9 a.m. Friday, while Western Carolina (28-25) falls to the losers’ bracket and will play an opponent yet to be determined on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
After seeing its first two batters retired on fly balls to start the game, Wofford sent 12 batters to the plate, eventually scoring eight runs with two outs to jump out to what turned out to be an insurmountable lead. The Terriers capitalized on three walks, a pair of singles, a double and an error to gain the early upper hand. Brice Martinez worked the count full before drawing a two-out walk, then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error before Daniel Jackson, the league’s Freshman of the Year, also worked the count full and drew another walk to get runners on the corners with two outs.
Tyler Hare followed with a clutch single to right field, bringing home Martinez and putting runners at first and third again, before David Wiley walked to load the bases. Lucas Manning was then hit by a pitch on an 0-2 pitch, which brought home the Terriers’ second run, with Adam Haber continuing to add pressure by posting a single to center field and plating another two runners. Jack Renwick laid down a bunt to score another run, with Toole tripling to right field and pushing Wofford’s lead to 7-0. Dixon Black then added another extra-base hit with a double to the gap in right center field and the Terriers’ cushion grew to eight runs.
Zach Ketterman countered for Western Carolina by leading off the bottom half of the first inning with a double to right field, but was left stranded in scoring position. The Catamounts’ James Hinson belted his 12th home run of the season with one out in the bottom of the second inning to get the Catamounts on the scoreboard.
Wofford threatened again in the top of the fourth inning when Black laced a one-out single to center field and moved into scoring position when Martinez followed with his second walk of the afternoon. He went to third on a fielder’s choice but was left there when the Catamounts recorded the third out on a ground ball.
Wofford built an 11-1 advantage on Jackson’s three-run homer with no outs in the top of the sixth inning. It was the Sandy Springs, Georgia, native’s third home run in four games and his 11th of the season.
Toole walked to lead off the seventh inning and promptly stole second for his league-leading 39th stolen base of the season, which also tied the school record for steals in a season. He crossed the plate with Wofford’s 12th run of the contest on an error by the Catamounts.
Black was 2-for-4 at the plate, with a double and a walk. He also drove in a run and scored a run. Renwick finished the afternoon with a pair of hits in four at-bats, while also driving in a run and scoring a run. Jackson was 1-for-4, with a home run, a walk and three RBIs. Martinez and Wiley each recorded a hit and reached base twice on a pair of walks.
Western Carolina’s Harbison was 2-for-3 on the afternoon, while Ketterman was 1-for-3 with a double. Hinson was 1-for-3 with a home run.
Wofford pitcher Camden Wicker, who earned SoCon all-freshman team recognition, improved to 3-3 on the season. The right-hander limited Western Carolina to one run on four hits, while striking out four and issuing just one walk over six innings.
Western Carolina’s Gavin Mortenson, who was the first of seven Catamount pitchers, fell to 4-6 after surrendering eight runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning. He walked three batters.
No. 7 Mercer 7, No. 3 ETSU 4
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Seventh-seeded Mercer rallied for its second upset in as many days, as the Bears toppled No. 3 seed ETSU, 7-4, on Thursday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.
Mercer (28-27) moves on to face No. 2 seed Samford (34-20) on Friday at 12:30 p.m., while ETSU (34-19) drops to the losers’ bracket and will take on either UNCG or Wofford on Friday at 4 p.m.
Mercer threatened early after getting two runners on base in the top of the opening frame, after Parker Lester opened the nightcap with a walk. Bradley Frye followed with an infield single, but ETSU starting pitcher Carter Fink settled in and recorded three consecutive outs to work out of the jam.
The right-hander went on to retire nine consecutive batters before hitting the Bears’ Carter Sanford with a pitch in the top of the fifth inning.
ETSU’s Jamie Palmese led off the bottom of the third with a single to right field and stole second just before Nick Iannantone was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, the Mercer defense turned a double play to escape the inning unscathed.
The Bucs’ Cody Miller and Noah Gent led off the bottom of the fourth frame with back-to-back singles and both runners moved up a spot on Blake Jacklin’s sacrifice bunt. ETSU then loaded the bases with just one out when Noah Webb was hit by a pitch and plated the game’s first run when Ashton King grounded out to the shortstop.
Mercer’s Carter Sanford was hit by a pitch to begin the fifth inning, with Brandon Prince laying down a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position. Ely Brown followed by beating out an infield single, with Sanford moving to third base, but with runners at the corners and just one out, ETSU stepped up and turned a double play to preserve the narrow lead.
Iannantone walked and Tommy Barth was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fifth inning and following a pitching change, the Bucs’ Cameron Sisneros capitalized by doubling to right field, driving in Iannantone for ETSU’s second run. Two batters later, Gent walked to load the bases with one out, but it was the Bears’ turn to record their second inning-ending double play of the night.
Mercer got on the scoreboard and sliced the deficit in half with two outs in the top half of the sixth after Jackson Cherry singled to bring Ty Dalley across the plate following the Vidalia, Georgia, native’s double to right field.
ETSU’s Webb became the game’s sixth lead-off baserunner after drawing a walk to start the bottom of the sixth inning but was left stranded.
Sanford, Prince and Brown opened Mercer’s half of the seventh inning with three consecutive singles, with all three crossing the plate on Conner Todaro’s bases-clearing double down the left field line. After Todaro moved to third on a wild pitch, Bradley Frye lifted a fly ball deep enough into center field to score Todaro with the Bears’ fifth run.
With ETSU trailing 5-2 and the bases empty, Sisneros belted his 22nd home run of the season over the fence in right center with one out in the bottom of the inning.
Todaro boosted Mercer’s lead to 7-3 with a two-out, two-run homer to left field in the top of the eighth. ETSU’s Jacklin reached base for the second time of the night after leading off the home half of the eighth getting hit by a pitch. Following a walk by Webb, Palmese bounced into a fielder’s choice to move Jacklin to third and he scored on Iannantone’s single to left field. Barth walked to load the bases, getting the tying run on base with two outs, but ETSU was unable to get closer than three.
Todaro went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, five RBIs and two runs scored, with Dalley adding a pair of doubles and a run scored in five trips to the plate. Cherry was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Brown chipped in a pair of hits, a walk and two runs scored.
Sisneros finished with three of ETSU’s seven hits and drove in two runs.
Mercer starting pitcher Wesley Franklin did not factor into the decision after allowing two runs on four hits over four innings. The right-hander walked two batters and struck out two. Bryant Olson (2-2) earned the win by allowing just two runs on two hits. He walked three batters and struck out four. Jess Ackerman captured his first save of the season after limiting the Bucs to one hit over the final two innings. He struck out four and walked two.
ETSU’s Carter Fink (6-2) absorbed the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander fanned three batters and walked one.
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+)
(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+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 5: #5 Wofford vs. #1 UNCG, 9 a.m.
Game 6: #7 Mercer vs. #2 Samford, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7: #3 ETSU vs. Loser Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 8: #4 Western Carolina vs. Loser Game 6, 7:30 p.m.
May 25 (Saturday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 12 p.m.
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 3:30 p.m.
Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 9, 7 p.m.
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