March 10, 2001

Box Score

Charleston, S.C. - Sophomore Seth Foster pitched 7.2 innings and earned his first win of the season, while twin brother Ryan Foster recorded the final four outs for his first save of the season as Western Carolina (8-10, 2-2 SoCon) defeated the College of Charleston (11-8, 3-2 SoCon), 7-3, Saturday afternoon at Patriots Point Park.

Today marked the first time in their career Seth had earned the win and Ryan picked up the save in the same game.

Seth Foster (1-1) got off to a rocky start, hitting three batters and walking one to allow the Cougars a 1-0 lead after the first inning. In the second inning, Charleston was able to increase its lead to 2-0, after a throwing error by Catamount third baseman Ryan Schade, a walk and a two-out single by Greg Alden.

From that point, although allowing a two walks and two hits, Seth Foster would retire 17 of the next 18 Cougars, including four innings of facing the minimum three batters. Foster was the beneficiary of a double play, thanks to an impressive play by WCU shortstop Michael Roane, and Catamount catcher Chad Emery throwing out two Cougars to end threats in the fourth and sixth innings. Foster would allow five hits, four walks, three runs (one earned), while hitting three Cougars and striking out one.

While Foster was getting stronger as the game progressed, Western's offense began chipping away at CofC starter Ryan Mau, scoring single runs in the third and sixth innings. The Catamounts cut the 2-0 lead in half when Alan Beck reached on a two-out bunt single to third base. Todd Buchanan followed with a double down the right-field line to put runners at second and third. Beck was brought home one batter later on a bad-hop single by Doug Myers off the shoulder of Cougar third baseman Mitch Miggenburg.

In the sixth, Roane ledoff with a Texas-league single to right. A sacrifice bunt by Emery and a wild pitch put Roane on third. WCU would tie the game, 2-2, one batter later on a Schade ground out to short.

The Catamounts pulled away with a three-run seventh inning, chasing Mau after two singles and a key throwing error by Miggenburg. Buchanan reached on a one-out single to left and came all the way around a few pitches later when Miggenburg committed a throwing error, allowing Myers to advance to third on the play. Myers scored on a single by Roane, who would score thanks to a wild pitch and single by Schade. Schade led the Cats with two RBI in the contest.

Western Carolina padded its lead in the eighth inning when Todd Roper ledoff with a walk and scored on a Rod Goldston double. In the bottom half of the frame, the College of Charleston used a single, which turned into a double on a fielding error, and another single to make the score 6-3.

With two outs and one on, Ryan Foster relieved his brother, getting the third out when Cougar pinch hitter Hank Stepleton swung at the first pitch and flew out to left field.

The Catamounts put up an insurance run in the ninth. Roane, who lead the team with three hits, started the inning with a single, followed with an RBI triple by Emery, who was 2-for-4 for his first multi-hit performance of the season.