Greenville, S.C. - Western Carolina's J.D. Long drew a bases-loaded, walk-off base on balls to cap a four-run, ninth-inning rally on Wednesday evening as the second-seeded Catamounts rallied past No. 7 Wofford, 10-9, in their first game of the 2016 Southern Conference Baseball Championship at Fluor Field.

WCU (26-28) advances to face No. 6 seed Samford on Thursday at 7:30 pm as the Bulldogs handed No. 3 UNCG an 8-5 loss in Wednesday's night cap. Wofford (30-27) will take on the Spartans in an elimination game at 12:30 pm.

Senior Garrett Brown opened the final frame by reaching on a wild pitch following a swinging strike three to give the designated home team a much-needed base runner. Two batters later, redshirt junior Bryson Bowman collected the first of back-to-back RBI doubles for the Catamounts with a shot to right center to score Brown before racing home on two-base knock by junior Matt Smith to make it a one-run game, 9-8.

A walk to Danny Bermudez and a Kramer Ferrell single that that just grazed the glove of a diving shortstop Derek Hirch and limped into shallow center field loaded the bases with one out, continuing the drama. Sophomore Caleb Robinson collected a six-pitch walk to plate the game-tying run while keeping the bases loaded. Two batters later, Long likewise coaxed a six-pitch free pass to score Bermudez for the game-winning run from third base, setting off a wild celebration for the Catamounts.

All told, four Catamounts posted two-hit games with Bowman and Smith doubling in 2-for-4 showings. Smith drove home a team-high three including a first inning single and a second inning, bases loaded HBP. Brown collected a pair of singles on the day with Ferrell also reaching on two hits in his final two at bats. Bermudez drove home two in the opening two frames with a single and a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore Brett Pope returned to the Catamount lineup, singling in his first plate appearance since March 30.

The late scoring outburst made a winner of senior reliever Colton Davis (6-3), who allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in three and a third innings of work. Davis fanned four out of the bullpen. Much of the credit, though, rests on the right-arm of junior Korey Anderson. The Grayson, Ga., native tossed 3.2 innings out of the bullpen once starter Bryan Sammons -- who struck out four -- was chased after two innings. Anderson fanned a game-high six in relief, holding the game in check and allowing the Catamounts to stay in the contest.

Terrier closer Will Stillman (3-3) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in an inning and two thirds.

Though it took the ninth inning heroics to advance the Catamounts into the winner's bracket, it was senior Reece Strong that jumpstarted the WCU offense off the bench in the eighth inning. The Richlands, Va., native gave the Catamounts their first extra base hit of the day as he roped an opposite field, two-out double to left field to make it a three-run, 9-6, game after eight complete, setting the stage for the ninth-inning drama.

Otherwise, much of the scoring in the contest came early, as Wofford struck for four runs in the top of the first inning before WCU answered with two in the bottom half. The Terriers did all of their damage with two outs, highlighted by Max McDougald's two-run triple.

The Catamounts got RBI singles from Smith and Bermudez in a first inning that took 49 minutes to complete.

The teams combined for five more runs in the second, with McDougald driving in two more for Wofford to make it 6-2. WCU again had an answer to keep it close, seeing runs score on an error, a bases-loaded hit batter and a sacrifice fly.

Wofford made it 7-5 with a run scoring on an error in the fourth, then saw Alex Malsch score on a wild pitch in the seventh and drive in a run in the eighth before turning it over to their bullpen.

Wofford starter Matthew Milburn did not earn a decision, as he allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks in seven innings of work. Milburn did enter the SoCon record book, however, striking out five to move his career total to 307, good for 10th in league history.

The teams combined for 30 hits in the 4-hour, 2-minute contest, with Wofford's Hirsch leading the way with a 4-for-5 showing. Five other Terriers had two hits each in addition to the four Catamounts that turned in two-hit games.