SPARTANBURG, S.C. – A Boomer Synek two-run blast in the eighth put the University of Evansville baseball team firmly on the comeback trail, but Wofford proved able to weather the storm as the Purple Aces fell 7-5 at Russell C. King Field.
"It was a tough game to lose because we put ourselves in a good position to win it," UE head coach Wes Carroll said. "We overcame some tough breaks during their big inning, but we just couldn't get the big hit when it came down to winning time. We're going to have to bounce back and try to win the weekend tomorrow."
Alec Paradowski got things going quickly for the Terriers (6-0), leading off the first with a double. UE starter Brandon Gomer quickly dispatched the ensuing two hitters, but he wouldn't get out of the frame unscathed as he hit Brett Hash and gave up a two-run triple to McClain Bradley on the following two pitches.
The Aces (1-4) battled back two innings later as an Eric McKibban single and Jeff Christen double put runners in scoring position. Synek would pick up the first of four runs batted in on the day with a groundout to short to cash in the first score, and a wild pitch from Terrier starter Adam Scott brought in the second.
Synek and McKibban were the only Aces to log multiple hits in the contest as each finished 2-for-4.
The deadlock wouldn't last long as a big two-out rally in the bottom half of the third put Wofford back on top for good. Hash and Bradley put together back-to-back singles to get it going, and Mack Nathanson earned a walk to load the bases for Cody Miller, who delivered with a grand slam over the fence in left field.
Miller led all hitters on the day, ending 3-for-3 with four RBI, and Bradley also had a multi-hit outing, finishing 2-for 3 with a pair of runs.
The Aces and Terriers would swap scores in the fifth, with Synek doubling home McKibban in the top half and Bradley stealing home in the bottom half.
Following a Christen lead-off walk in the eighth, Synek pelted his second homer of the season to right field to pull the Aces within two. Trey Hair earned a walk to try and keep the rally going, but Terrier reliever Will Stillman jogged to the mound and retired the next six UE hitters in order to close out the contest and earn his fourth save of the season.
On the mound, Gomer (0-2) was pegged with the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings, and Scott (2-0) picked up the victory with seven five-hit innings.
UE will be back in action again at Russell C. King Field on Sunday with an 11 a.m. (Central) first pitch against Monmouth.
NOTES: With two home runs on the season so far, Boomer Synek has already tied his previous career total … The senior left the park twice in 2014 … Since 1978, the Aces had not previously played USC Upstate, Wofford, and Monmouth … UE is now 2-7 all-time vs. schools that hail from the state of South Carolina … The game against Monmouth will mark the first time the Aces have played a team from New Jersey.
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