BIRMINGHAM (Interstat) — Samford scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth inning to edge Wofford 7-6 on Thursday afternoon and evening at Joe Lee Griffin Stadium, evening the Southern Conference series at a game apiece after the teams meet again Friday and Saturday.

The Bulldogs improved to 27-23 overall and 12-12 in league play, while the Terriers fell to 33-19 and 16-8.

Cade Carr led off the ninth with a ground-rule double to center field, then advanced to third on Garrett Souders’ groundout. Samford intentionally walked Luke Boykin to set up a potential double play, but Trey Higgins singled to right to load the bases. Eddie Marshall then hit a fielder’s choice grounder to second base, allowing Carr to score the winning run as the throw home was late.

Samford’s rally capped a back-and-forth game that saw Wofford jump to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Terriers scored all six runs in the opening frame, with Niko Brini delivering a three-run triple and Kameron Tribble adding an RBI triple. But Samford answered immediately in the bottom of the first with five runs, including solo home runs by Higgins, Marshall and Luke McDonald off Wofford starter Alec Bouchard.

Bouchard, who threw six innings and struck out eight while allowing five earned runs, left with the Terriers still ahead 6-5. Lucas Manning homered for Wofford in the sixth to make it 6-5, but Samford tied the game in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Higgins after a throwing error allowed Souders to reach third.

Zak Spurrier earned the win for Samford, pitching two scoreless innings of relief with no hits allowed and one strikeout. John Whitney had entered in the fifth and allowed one run over three innings while striking out four. Branton Little took the loss for Wofford, giving up an unearned run in two innings of relief.

Carr finished 3 for 5 with a double, a triple and an RBI for Samford. Higgins went 2 for 3 with a home run, two RBIs and a walk. Manning was 2 for 4 with a homer for Wofford. The Terriers managed just eight hits to Samford’s 12.

The game marked the opening of a three-game series between the Southern Conference rivals, with the teams scheduled to play again Friday and Saturday, both at 2 p.m. CT. Wofford entered having lost four of its previous six games, while Samford had won three of its last four.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Samford 6, Wofford 3, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Samford a 51.40 percent probability to win.