BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Wofford baseball team got the start it needed Thursday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field against Samford, leading 5-1 entering the eighth inning. However, the Bulldogs rallied late with nine runs in the eighth to ultimately come back and win 10-5. The Terriers drop to 33-17 (10-8 SoCon) with the result as the Bulldogs improve to 34-18 (14-5 SoCon).
 
Zac Cowan (7-2) takes the loss as the Terrier starter after pitching 7.1 innings with nine runs allowed on 10 hits and three walks, though he struck out 10 batters. Those 10 punchouts are enough to get his season total up to 105, making him the 10^th Terrier ever to record 100 or more strikeouts in a season and the first since Adam Scott tallied 108 in 2021. Cowan's total is currently the seventh highest in a season in program history. Kenny Michaels tossed two-thirds of an inning, giving up just one run on one hit and one walk.
 
Samford starter Michael Ross (12-0) picked up the win despite getting tagged with five runs (three earned) early. He gave up nine hits and walked two batters.
 
The Terrier offense tallied 10 total hits in the contest, led by Marshall Toole with his three. He drove in one run and added a pair of sacrifice bunts to officially go 3-for-3 on the day. The bottom three of the lineup did the most damage for Wofford, as the trio of Lucas Manning, Adam Haber and Jack Renwick went a combined 5-for-10 at the plate. Haber and Renwick both tallied two hits, and Manning added one. One of Renwick's knocks was a double, and Manning's lone hit was also a double. Daniel Jackson recorded a pair of RBI with a hit and walk as he stretched his on-base streak to 39 games. Dixon Black added a hit and walk with an RBI as well. He and Toole both stole a base in the game. Toole's swipe brings him to 37 on the campaign, now two shy of matching the program's record for a season.
 
The Terriers put down four sacrifice bunts in the contest, which is tied for second most in a game in program history. On top of Toole's pair, Brice Martinez and Haber both laid down a bunt.
 
Though Samford's chances did not come until later in the affair, the Bulldogs took more advantage of their opportunities. Samford left five runners on base compared to the 10 runners stranded by the Terriers.
 
Wofford quickly took the lead, jumping on Samford starter Michael Ross in the top of the first. Marshall Toole notched a lead-off infield single before swiping second base, and Dixon Black worked a walk to place two on. Brice Martinez bunted both into scoring position, and Daniel Jackson's RBI groundout plated Toole as Wofford manufactured the game's first run to take a quick 1-0 edge.
 
After both pitchers forced zeroes in the second, Wofford added another run in the top of the third. Jack Renwick notched a lead-off double to left center. Toole bunted him over to third, and Renwick would score from there on Black's single to shallow left, making the score 2-0.
 
The Terriers doubled their lead in the top of the fourth. Lucas Manning roped a double with one out to get a runner on. Wofford displayed more small ball from there, applying pressure to the Bulldog defense that proved too much. Adam Haber's bunt single led to an error on the throw that allowed Manning to scurry home and Haber to reach second. Renwick singled to set up runners on the corners, and Toole placed down another sacrifice with this one scoring Haber, pushing the Wofford advantage to 4-0.
 
Samford finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. A doubled was followed by a single that pushed the run across, but the Bulldogs were limited to just the one as Zac Cowan notched a strikeout and induced a groundout to limit the damage. Wofford remained ahead 4-1.
 
The Terriers tacked on another in the top of the seventh. Black reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With a runner in scoring position, Daniel Jackson delivered a single to the outfield that allowed Black to race home, making the score 5-1.
 
But the Samford offense found its rally in the bottom of the eighth, plating nine runs in the frame. The late push gave the Bulldogs a 10-5 lead entering the ninth.
 
Wofford gave its best efforts at a comeback attempt in response, getting a lead-off single by Toole. But he was retired as Black reached on a fielder's choice. Later in the frame, Jackson worked a walk to place runners on the corners with two outs, but a strikeout of the following hitter would seal the result as a 10-5 Samford win.
 
The squads will do battle again tomorrow evening with Wofford looking to exact revenge and even the series. Note that the first pitch time has changed, moving up one hour to 4:00 p.m. ET. The change was prompted due to forecasted inclement weather in an effort to complete the contest prior. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.