SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The baseball team powered its way to a doubleheader split with Wofford on Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Stadium. The home-standing Terriers took the first game, 5-1, then the Big Red used an early offensive burst to win the night cap, 12-5.
 
Cornell hit seven home runs on the day, including three from junior Cole Rutherford, and the Big Red eclipsed its homer total for the entire 2015 season in just one day. Rutherford now has four home runs in just five games to date.
 
The three-game series is slated to conclude with a noon start time on Sunday.
 
Game 1: WOFFORD 5, CORNELL 1 (Box Score)
Rutherford smashed his second home run of the season to straight-away center field, but that was all the offense the baseball team could muster.
 
Matt Milburn tossed a complete game for Wofford (11-3), striking out 10 while issuing no walks. Seven different Cornell (1-3) batters were able to record hits off Milburn, with Rutherford's homer over the 390-foot sign in center proving to be the only extra-base hit for the Big Red.
 
Junior starter Paul Balestrieri took the loss for the Big Red, but battled through 5 2/3 innings fanning six and surrendering three runs. Wofford capped the scoring with two more runs in the seventh — the first on a lead-off homer; the second on a run manufactured with two out by a pair of singles surrounded by a wild pitch.
 
Game 2: CORNELL 12, WOFFORD 5 (Box Score)
Sophomore catcher Ellis Bitar hit a three-run double in the first inning to get Cornell off to a quick starter against the Terriers' lefthanded starter.
 
The Big Red stroked five home runs in the game, including roundtrippers from junior Tommy Wagner and Rutherford in the fourth inning to expanded Cornell's lead to 8-0 to that point.
 
Senior Michael Byrne earned the victory with a five-inning start. He surrendered two runs, one of which was unearned. Sophomore Justin Lewis worked three innings of scoreless relief to earn the save.