Sanford Grand Slam Seals Win Over Wofford

Friday, May 12

Spartanburg, SC

5 p.m.

Mercer University

29-20, 11-5

Wofford College

34-15, 9-7

Mercer

Wofford

5/12/2023 10:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Catcher’s hit broke the tie in the top of the ninth

By: Amanda Cover

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Carter Sanford hit his second grand slam of the season to secure a four-run win for Mercer (29-20, 11-5) over Wofford (34-15, 9-7) on Friday night at Russell C. King Field. Colton Cosper started on the mound and struck out seven while Ryan Lobus (5-3) struck out the side in both innings pitched.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Jozsef Rohrbacher started the scoring early with a solo shot to center field in the top of the first. This was his 14^th home run of the season and first on the road.

ABSOLUTE 💣 INTO THE 🌲 @jozsefrohr

T1 | Mercer 1, Wofford 0#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/f9KyyPnhpA
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 12, 2023

The Terriers responded immediately with one run on three hits in the bottom of the first. Two strikeouts from Cosper held Wofford at bay to hold the tie through one.

Jackson Cherry matched the first inning efforts with a solo shot of his own in the top of the second to center field to take the lead, 2-1. Mercer notched a double play in the bottom of the second, and another pair of strikeouts by Cosper in the third held the Terriers scoreless in back-to-back innings.

The bats are hot early!🔥 @JacksonCherry9

T2 | Mercer 2, Wofford 1#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/EDXdPUZ7zV
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 12, 2023

In the top of the fourth, Trevor Austin was walked on a full count with two outs on the board. Cherry stepped up to the plate again and hit his second home run of the day to score two for the Bears. Cosper struck out two more in the bottom of the fourth, maintaining the three-run lead.

DO YOUR THING @JacksonCherry9🤩

2nd homer of the day adds Cherry to the double figure HR club

T4 | Mercer 4, Wofford 1#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/ZFbBiaEI8s
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 12, 2023

Wofford got two back in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run double by Trey Yunger, scoring David Wiley who reached on a walk and Ryan Galanie who was intentionally walked. A three-run sixth pushed Wofford into the lead.

The Bears loaded the bases in the seventh thanks to a single by Cherry, a walk of Ty Dalley, and a single by Treyson Hughes. Pinch hitter Max Kops tied the game with a two-run single, scoring Cherry and Dalley.

All tied up!! @MaxKops1 enters to pinch hit and plates 2!

T7 | Mercer 6, Wofford 6#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/qTic388ilM
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 13, 2023

The top of the eighth saw Eric Toth sneak a double just inside the left field line and advance to third on a ground out by Carter Sanford. After going 3-for-3 on the day, Cherry earned an intentional walk to place runners on the corners, but Mercer could not push any runs across.

Lobus entered in the bottom of the eighth and struck out the side. In the top of the ninth, Dalley reached on a single and was advanced on a ground out by Hughes. Eli Runyan singled to left field which spurred Dalley to run to third, but as he turned the corner to run home, he failed to touch third base which negated the go-ahead run Mercer thought it scored.

3 batters: 3 K's🫡@ryan15lobus strikes out the side in his first inning

E8 | Mercer 6, Wofford 6#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/vqwnUPYcIj
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 13, 2023

Despite the mishap, two consecutive walks loaded the bases and set up Sanford's second grand slam of the season to take the lead 10-6. Sanford struck with two outs on the board against an 0-2 count to record the decisive runs.

GRAND SLAM @carter_sanford 🤯

T9 | Mercer 10, Wofford 6#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/SJ2ryXl3UU
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 13, 2023

Lobus (5-3) struck out the side again in the ninth, striking out all six batters faced on the night to seal the win.

"I knew with the bases loaded, I had to get it done."

🎙@carter_sanford #GoodToGreat || #WinnerWin pic.twitter.com/4Sd8fJtg6n
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 13, 2023

NOTES

Carter Sanford hit his second grand slam and seventh home run of the season.
Jozsef Rohrbacher hit his 14^th home run of the season and his first on the road.
Jackson Cherry now has 10 home runs this season. This is his second multi-home run game of the season.
Ryan Lobus struck out the side in both innings pitched, striking out all six batters faced.
Treyson Hughes is on an 11-game hitting streak and has reached base in 15-straight games.
Rohrbacher has reached base in 11-straight games.
Neither relief pitcher (Jaxon O'Neal, Ryan Lobus) gave up a run or a hit.

SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | Mercer 1, Wofford 0                            Rohrbacher homered to center field.
B1 | Mercer 1, Wofford 1                            Yunger singled up the middle, scoring Toole.
T2 | Mercer 2, Wofford 1                            Cherry homered to center field.
T4 | Mercer 4, Wofford 1                            Cherry homered to right center, scoring Austin.
B5 | Mercer 4, Wofford 3                            Yunger doubled down the left field line, scoring Wiley and Galanie.
B6 | Mercer 4, Wofford 4                            Wiley singled to center field, scoring Martinez.
B6 | Mercer 4, Wofford 5                            Renwick grounded out, scoring Gill.
B6 | Mercer 4, Wofford 6                            Toole singled, bunt, scoring Wiley.
T7 | Mercer 6, Wofford 6                            Kops singled, scoring Cherry and Dalley.
T9 | Mercer 10, Wofford 6                          Sanford homered to center field, scoring Runyan, Rohrbacher, and Toth.

UP NEXT: Mercer and Wofford continue the series on Saturday, May 13 at 3 p.m. at Russell C. King Field.

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