After a seesaw fifth inning, it was a two-run home run by junior designated hitter Chris King in the eighth inning that gave the Elon University baseball team a 10-9 win over Wofford College April 11 in Spartanburg, S.C.
With a runner on first and two outs, King took a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left field to give Elon a 10-8 lead that would be enough for the win. Wofford's Seth Neely hit a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn't enough for the Terriers in the first game of a three-game Southern Conference slate.
Wofford got on the board first with a run in the second, but Elon answered that with two in the top of the third to take the lead. Juniors Ryan Cooper and Casey Jones each singled in runs for the Phoenix.
In the fifth, Elon built on that lead with five runs to take a 7-1 lead. Back-to-back singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases for senior second baseman Sebastian Gomez, who took advantage and singled up the middle to drive in two runs. Junior Tyler McVicar brought in two more on a double, and freshman Nick Zammarelli singled in a run.
But, Wofford plated seven runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 8-7. A groundout with the bases loaded scored the first run, and two more came in on a double to center by Alec Paradowski. A catcher's interference and a walk let two more on base, setting Eric Brenk up for a 2-RBI single.
At that point, Elon pulled junior starter Lucas Bakker in favor of freshman Matt Harris. A wild pitch and an error scored a run and moved another into position to score on a sacrifice fly.
Elon tied it up with a run on a fielder's choice in the sixth before King's home run won it.
Bakker went 4.1 innings and allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts, and Harris took the win after 3.2 scoreless innings of work. Senior Ryan Pennell worked the ninth to earn his 10th save of the year.
With two hits, Jones extends his career-high hit streak to 20 games. He was also intentionally walked twice in the game.
The teams meet again at 3 p.m. April 12.