THE RUNDOWN
The No. 17 Patriots dropped the series to the Wofford Terriers, 9-6 in game two Saturday at Horner Ballpark. Lengthy at-bats up and down the Wofford lineup and 5.0 scoreless innings from starting pitcher Josh Vitus helped the Terriers (20-8) to their eighth consecutive win. A DBU offense that sputtered throughout the day came to life in a five-run seventh inning, but it was too little too late as Wofford became just the second team all season to take a series from the Patriots (16-10).
Leading 4-0 heading into the seventh frame, a Wofford offense that had steadily threatened finally ripped the game open with five runs fueled by extra-base hits. Jack Renwick's second hit of the afternoon was a two-run triple that gave the Terriers their first multi-run inning of the ballgame. Fuel was added to the fire with an RBI double and a two-bagger by Brennan Dorighi that drove in two more and sunk the Patriots into a 9-0 deficit.
But DBU refused to go away quietly. An offense that struggled all weekend in two-out situations pushed five across with two away in the home half of the seventh.
Blayne Jones got things going with a single into left field that drove in
Luke Heefner. Then,
Jace Grady knocked an RBI single into right field to chop another run off the Wofford lead. A hushed crowd of Patriot fans reenergized Horner Ballpark when
Andrew Benefield crushed a two-run triple off the wall in center field, and
Cole Moore roped an RBI single through left to complete a statement inning for DBU.
The momentum carried over to the mound as well. Freshman
Preston Tabor struck one out and turned a double play in the top of the eighth to shut out the Terriers.
Ryan Wrobleski then left the yard in the bottom of the inning to make it a 9-6 contest.
Zach Heaton stepped onto the hill in relief of Tabor and worked another scoreless frame against a tough Terrier lineup. But
Andrew Benefield was left stranded at first as Wofford held off a furious Patriot rally.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
-
Andrew Benefield continued his offensive tear, extending his hit streak to five games and recording the first triple of his career.
-
Ryan Wrobleski hit his first home run of the season and made his first start of the year at catcher.
-DBU looks to avoid its first series sweep at home since 2013.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
10 - DBU and Wofford scored a combined 10 runs in the seventh inning.
3 -
Ryan Wrobleski and
Cole Moore tied their career high with three hits apiece.
8 - The first four in Patiot order (
Blayne Jones,
Jace Grady,
Andrew Benefield, and
Cole Moore) accounted for eight of DBU's 14 hits.
ON DECK
DBU and Wofford complete the weekend series Sunday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m.
