April 20, 2002

Final Stats

Davidson, N.C. - A three-run ninth-inning rally lifted host Davidson to a 5-4 victory over Western Carolina in the first game of a Southern Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. In the nightcap, the Catamounts rebounded on the strength of a combined shutout by Brad Josey and Rob Hoover, defeating the Wildcats by a final of 4-0. Davidson now sports a 16-24 record on the season and an 8-12 mark in the league, while Western Carolina is now 24-14 and 13-7.

Senior Tim Frend delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth to cap a three-run rally. Trailing 4-2 in the ninth of the first game, junior Chris Emond led off the inning with a single to right on a 3-2 pitch. Freshman Justin Hartanov followed with a walk, but a bunt attempt failed leaving runners at first and second with one out. After senior Stephen Aldrich drew a walk to load the bases, Catamount Jared Burton's afternoon was finished on the mound, having struck out 10 tying his season high.

Senior Jack Purcell greeted reliever Joe Camac (3-3) with a solid single to left to score Emond and cut the deficit to one. Western Carolina called upon closer Ryan Foster to finish the game, but his first pitch was lined into center field for a base hit by junior D.J. Dailey. Pinch-runner Andrew Musashe scored the tying run, but Aldrich was gunned down at the plate by Donovan Minero. That simply set the stage for senior Tim Frend, who singled through the right side to plate Purcell from second base.

Going the distance for Davidson was senior Mark Wells (4-5), who allowed just two earned runs on eight hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Wells was masterful at keeping the ball down in the zone as 18 of the 27 outs were recorded on ground balls, including a pair of double plays.

Emond, Purcell and Dailey each had two hits for the Wildcats, while Todd Roper had a double and a triple, scored two runs and drove in another for the Catamounts.

In the second game, Josey (3-1) did a terrific job of keeping the Wildcat hitters off-balance, yielding just five hits and one walk in 6.2 innings while striking out three. Hoover pitched the final 2.1 innings, escaping a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh and recording his first save of the season and second of his career.

The WCU offense went right to work on Davidson hurler Derrik Wolpert (0-1), utilizing a walk and a pair of singles by the first three hitters to take a quick 1-0 lead. The Catamounts scored solitary runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to complete the scoring.

Both teams had their opportunities to put runs on the board, but the Catamount defense turned four double plays behind its pitchers, and Davidson turned three of its own to help keep WCU in check.

After Wolpert yielded four runs on seven hits in his five-plus innings, junior reliever Erskine Wells surrendered just two hits in four shutout innings, striking out four and retiring the final 10 batters he faced.

Alan Beck had two of WCU's nine hits, including a double, while scoring a run and driving in one. Todd Buchanan hit his seventh home run of the season and his third of the week. Seven different Wildcats had singles to account for the Davidson offense, including Dailey who extended his hitting streak to 11 games, longest on the squad this season.

The two teams will finish their three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Wildcat Park at 1 p.m.