Wofford returns to Russell C. King Field this weekend to host Samford in Southern Conference play. The series marks Wofford's first home set of league action. The Terriers are fresh off a historic 5-2 midweek win over USC Upstate in Fifth Third Park, home of the Hub City Spartanburgers. The contest marked the first-ever baseball game in the new downtown facility as the Terriers are now 21-9 on the year and sport a 2-1 conference record after topping The Citadel twice in Charleston. Samford is 14-15 after falling 11-9 at No. 8 Alabama on Tuesday. The Bulldogs sport a 1-2 conference record after losing a series at ETSU to open conference play two weekends ago. The programs have squared off 54 times since first meeting back in 2009 with the Bulldogs holding a slight 28-26 edge. The teams faced off six total times last season with Wofford winning four of the match-ups. The Terriers claimed two-of-three in Birmingham to end the regular season before the Bulldogs won the first meeting in the SoCon Tournament. The sides rematched in the championship with the Terriers winning twice on Sunday in Greenville to claim the SoCon Championship.
 
Quick Hits
• Wofford's 12-5 triumph over No. 23 Kentucky is the program's first ranked win since besting No. 18 Dallas Baptist in 2022.
• With the 14-3 win over No. 17 Troy, the Terriers have victories over two different ranked teams in the same season for the first time in program history.
• Ryan Wynn hit for the cycle in the series finale on opening weekend against Ohio, marking the third cycle in program history.
• By taking two-of-three at The Citadel, Wofford has won its opening SoCon series in now six-straight full seasons.
• Wofford won the first-ever game in Fifth Third Park 5-2 over USC Upstate, christening the new minor league stadium in Spartanburg.
• Four of the five qualified Terrier batters are hitting over .300 with James Layman leading the way at .398, best in the SoCon.
• James Layman (.537) and Tyler Hare (.505) rank second and fifth, respectively, in the SoCon in on-base percentage.
• Niko Brini and James Layman have each swiped 16 bases to lead the Terriers and tie for fifth in the conference. 
• The Terriers have been hit 64 times at the plate, 11th most in the nation.
• With 104 steals this season, Wofford has stolen 100 or more bases in now 12-straight full seasons dating back to 2013, the longest active streak in Division I.
 
Probable Pitchers
Friday: Wofford's RHP Branton Little (4-2, 5.12 ERA) vs. Samford's LHP Miller Riggins (2-2, 5.88 ERA)
Saturday: Wofford's RHP Cullen Condon (1-0, 5.08 ERA) vs. Samford's RHP Cameron Keshock (3-1, 4.15 ERA)
Sunday: Wofford's TBD vs. Samford's TBD
 
Terrier Tailgate at the Ballpark
This Saturday, April 5, enjoy a full slate of Wofford Terriers baseball and softball. Between Russell C. King Field and Hope Field there will be a Terrier Tailgate featuring a kids zone, food trucks, giveaways, and more. First pitch at Hope Field for Wofford softball against Mercer is set for 1:00 p.m. as the Terriers play a doubleheader, and Wofford baseball is set to begin one hour later at Russell C. King Field. The Terrier Tailgate runs from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Come enjoy the festivities and the Terrier ballgames!
 
About the Opponent: Samford
The Bulldogs hit .287 as a team, fifth in the conference behind Wofford's fourth-place mark of .307. Five Bulldogs hit over .300, led by Cade Carr's clip of .370. He ranks sixth in the league. Carr also checks in at fourth with his team-leading 38 RBI. Cameron Keshock leads the team on the bump with three wins. Evan Steckmesser has been the top pitcher for the squad out of the bullpen, boasting the third-best ERA in the conference at 2.45 in 33.0 innings of action. His 33 punchouts rank sixth in the conference. As a team, Samford has a 5.93 ERA and 263 strikeouts. Samford and Wofford are entering the weekend on different ends of the spectrum as the Bulldogs have lost seven of their last nine games, yet the Terriers have claimed nine of their last 12 contests.
 
In Layman's Terms
James Layman has patiently waited his turn at Wofford, and now he is shining. Layman did not see action as a freshman and played sparingly last season. As a junior in 2025, he is breaking out with a .394 batting average, .537 on-base mark, and .500 slugging clip. Layman is tied for fifth in the conference with 16 stolen bases, and his 32 runs scored rank ninth. Getting on base however he can, albeit even the painful way, Layman is third in the SoCon with 11 hit by pitch. The junior leads the conference in batting average while ranking second in on-base percentage, and his three sacrifice flies are tied for seventh. He adds 35 total hits, including seven doubles and a triple. He has 21 RBI with 19 walks. Layman played hero in the series finale against Elon, clubbing a walk-off two-run double to secure the series win.
 
Return of the Man(nelly)
Junior outfielder Andrew Mannelly entered the 2025 campaign as a First-Team Preseason All-SoCon selection. He has been scorching hot of late despite a slow start to the year. Mannelly was 0 for his first 15 at-bats to begin the campaign and didn't get his first hit until game nine at Davidson, an opposite field double. That was all it took for Mannelly to settle in, as the junior has been on a tear since by going 16-for-38 beginning with his base hit. In those 10 games, Mannelly is hitting a whopping .421 with 14 RBI. He boasts a pair of home runs, both of which came in Wofford's upset win at No. 17 Troy. He is currently riding an eight-game hit streak dating back to the series opener against Villanova and a 12-game on-base mark going back to the contest at College of Charleston.
 
The First Game at Fifth Third Park
There is a baseball boom in the Hub City, and on Tuesday, April 1, Spartanburg's two Division I baseball programs squared off in a historic match-up. Brand new Fifth Third Park in downtown Spartanburg has been constructed as the home of the city's new minor league ball club, the Hub City Spartanburgers, High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The contest between the Terriers and Spartans was the first-ever baseball game in the new venue with Wofford earning the historic win 5-2. The game was filled with firsts for the stadium, and many Terriers were able to check off some of those historic feats. Sheldon Egger toed the rubber as the starter in the game, tossing the first strikeout in stadium history en route to earning the first pitching win. Michael Sills earned the first save in relief, which was his first-career save. Tyler Hare's double served as the first extra-base hit, and he would score the first run. David Wiley worked the first walk, Andrew Mannelly tallied the first RBI, and Niko Brini legged out the first triple. The game was a monumental occasion for the city of Spartanburg and its greater community, kicking off an inaugural season for Fifth Third Park and the Spartanburgers as pro baseball returns to Spartanburg.
 
On Deck
Wofford hosts one more game at Russell C. King Field before hitting the road. Winthrop comes to town on Wednesday, April 9, with a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. The Terriers then return to conference action with a three-game weekend set at UNCG beginning on Friday, April 11.