BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The No. 22 Wofford baseball team carried a 4-2 lead into the eighth inning at J.L. Griffin Field, but a three-run bottom of the frame by Samford turned the tide to secure a 5-4 win for the Bulldogs Friday night. The Terriers drop to 30-12 overall and 8-2 in SoCon play. Samford improves to 19-20 and 6-4 in league action.
 
Wofford closer Dalton Rhadans (5-3) was charged with the loss after hurling 1.0 inning and allowing one run, which was unearned, on one hit and one walk. He struck out one. Matthew Marchal started for Wofford and tossed the first 5.0 frames of the ballgame. He surrendered two runs on five hits and one walk with two punchouts. Luke Stephens was the middle arm in the contest, throwing 2.0 innings with two runs allowed on four hits.
 
Samford reliever Brody Westbrooks (3-2) earned the win after pitching 1.0 scoreless inning. Carson Hobbs (8) earned the save after his 1.0 inning of work to close the contest.
 
The Terriers posted seven hits in the ballgame, three less than the Bulldogs. Leading the charge was the new Wofford hit king Lawson Hill, who registered the only multi-hit performance for Wofford with two, both of which were doubles. This extended his team-best hit streak to 15 games, and he added a walk to reach a third time. Ryan Galanie totaled only one hit, but it was a two-run home run, and he added another RBI later to account for all three of Wofford's runs batted in. Brennen Dorighi added a base hit and a walk to extend his team-high on-base streak to 23 games. Nolen Hester worked a free pass of his own to stay on Dorighi's heels with his now 22-game on-base mark.
 
The game opened quickly, as Ryan Galanie launched a two-run bomb to right center in the top of the first to get the Terriers on the board early. Wofford held a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs wasted no time responding, adding a run in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
Samford used another RBI single in the bottom of the second to pull even at 2-2.
 
Wofford jumped back in front in the top of the third. Galanie lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate John Dempsey for the go-ahead run. A wild pitch then allowed Lawson Hill to race home and make the score 4-2, with the contest showing signs of turning into a slugfest.
 
However, the pitching staffs then found their respective grooves and settled in. After a scoreless bottom of the third, neither side reached home plate again until the bottom of the eighth, marking five full innings of shutout baseball.
 
That bottom of the eighth saw Samford find its rhythm offensively. A two-run single through the right side pulled the Bulldogs even with the Terriers, and then a fielding error allowed the go-ahead run to come home, making the score 5-4 in favor of Samford.
 
The Terriers would no go quietly, though. With one out, Gunnar Johnson slapped a pinch-hit single to left field to give Wofford some late life. Those comeback hopes were immediately dashed when the next batter grounded into a game-ending double play, marking the 5-4 defeat for Wofford.
 
The 22^nd-ranked Terriers match up against the Bulldogs again tomorrow afternoon for game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET.