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Western Carolina Uses Strong Pitching to Defeat UNC Greensboro, 10-1

March 16, 2001

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Catamount sophomore pitcher Jared Burton struck out a career-high 13 batters in leading Western Carolina to a 10-1 victory over UNC Greensboro Friday afternoon at Hennon Stadium.

Burton, a 6-5 righthander from Westminster, S.C., improved to 4-1, pitching his first career nine-inning complete game. He only allowed five hits, one run and three walks in the victory. Burton additionally improves to 2-0 in SoCon action has an impressive 26 strikeouts with only three walks in league games.

Offensively, Western Carolina (9-12, 3-3 SoCon) was paced by Alan Beck, Donovan Minero and Ben Rhoney. Beck and Minero each hit their sixth home runs of the season, adding to their SoCon-leading total. Rhoney, who hit his first career home run last Wednesday at Tennessee, hit his second blast in as many games.

"We were ready to play today," said WCU head coach Todd Raleigh. "Jared was just outstanding. He had as much movement on his pitches as I have ever seen. We rode his back early, made some key plays in the field and got some big hits. We played a complete game today."

Western sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Beck delivered a one-out, two-run homer to left-center field to break the scoreless tie. The Catamounts would use three walks, and error and single by Michael Roane to add two more runs.

WCU began the fourth with a single by Rod Goldston, a walk to Beck and an RBI single by Todd Buchanan to increase its advantage to 5-0. Catamount catcher Ryan McCurry would plate Buchanan with a two-out RBI single to right field.

UNC Greensboro (11-9, 5-2 SoCon) scored it lone run of the contest when Richard Hopp, who entered the game at first base in the fifth inning, hit a one-out home run in the top of the sixth. It was his first homer of the season.

The Catamounts added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, all on the strength of round trippers. Rhoney, a sophomore, started the seventh with a homer to straight away center, while Minero delivered a one-out, three-run bomb to right-center in the eighth.

All but one Catamount starter recorded a hit versus the Spartans. Goldston and Minero led the Cats with two hits each.

UNC Greensboro starter Everett Hancock (3-2) was saddled with the loss. The junior pitched 2.2 innings and allowed two hits, four runs (two earned) and five walks. Spartan third baseman Nick Lockhart had three of UNCG's five hits on the day. Hopp's home run and a Doug Schutt single to left-center in the seventh accounted for Greensboro's other two safeties.

The Catamounts and Spartans will return to action on Saturday (1 p.m.) at Hennon Stadium, followed by a single game on Sunday (1 p.m.).

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