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ELON, N.C. – The Wofford College baseball team lost to Elon 23-7 on Sunday afternoon at Latham Stadium. The Phoenix used seven runs in the second inning to build a lead as they swept the season series with the Terriers.
Wofford is 17-25 on the season and 7-16 in the Southern Conference. Elon is 33-13 overall and are first in the conference with a 20-4 record. The Phoenix have won 14 straight conference games. The Terriers were led by Michael Gilmartin with three hits, while Kyle Behrendt added two hits and three RBIs. Elon was led by Harry Austin with four hits and Bennett Davis and Neal Pritchard each added three hits and three RBIs.
The Terriers got on the board in the top of the first inning on back-to-back singles from James Foster and Kyle Behrendt for a 1-0 lead. Elon answered in the bottom of the first with singles from Chase Austin and Pat Irvine, and Chase Austin stole home on a double steal to tie the game.
Wofford loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second, but left all three runners stranded. Elon opened their half of the second with a walk and hit by pitch and a home run by Justin Hilt to left center cleared the bases and gave the Phoenix a 4-1 lead. A single from Cory Harrilchak scored two more runs. Chase Austin reached on an error to score a run, while a ground out by Bennett Davis scored a seventh run in the inning for an 8-1 lead.
In the top of the third, Michael Gilmartin singled and Konstantine Diamaduros reached on a fielder’s choice. Jake Williams walked and Neil Robinette struck out for the third out, however he reached first on a wild pitch to load the bases. A walk to Josh McKinney brought in one run and a single to center by David Roney scored two runs to make it an 8-4 game.
Elon added four more runs in the bottom of the third as singles by Harry Austin and Bennett Davis both scored two runs each to take a 12-4 lead. In the fourth, the first two batters reached on errors. Neal Pritchard then hit a ball over the left field fence to score three runs and extend the lead to 15-4.
A two-run homer by Ryan Adams in the bottom of the fifth gave the Phoenix a 17-4 lead. Wofford opened the top of the sixth with doubles from David Roney and James Foster, scoring one run. A home run to center by Kyle Behrendt scored two runs to make it a 17-7 game. The Terriers added singles from Konstantine Diamaduros and Jake Williams, however both men were left on base.
With the bases loaded after a walk and two singles, Dallas Tarleton hit a grand slam to add four more runs to the Elon lead in the bottom of the sixth. After a twenty minute rain delay, the Phoenix loaded the bases again and a ground out by Cory Harrilchak scored one run for a 22-7 advantage at the end of six.
Neither team was able to add a run in the seventh and Wofford went down in order in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, a double by Zeth Stone scored another run for the Phoenix for a 23-7 tally. The score held as Elon struck out the final three Wofford batters in the top of the ninth.
Wofford starter Gus White (2-5) went the first 2.2 innings and allowed twelve runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. John Cornely threw one and a third with three hits and four runs allowed with two strikeouts. J.D. Osborne threw 1.1 innings with six runs scored on four hits and one strikeout. Drew Sheridan went 2.2 innings with six hits and one run allowed and one strikeout.
For the Phoenix, starter Ken Ferrer (7-1) threw 5.1 innings with 13 hits allowed and seven runs scored along with five strikeouts. John Brebbia threw 1.2 innings with one hit and a strikeout. Greg Amorosso threw a hitless inning with one strikeout. Jordan Darnall struck out all three batters faced in the ninth.
Next week the Terriers will visit USC Upstate on Tuesday and host South Carolina on Wednesday before a home series with the College of Charleston.
