March 14, 2003

Final Stats

Davidson, N.C. - Sophomore Brad Josey pitched a career high seven innings and struck out a career high seven batters to lead Western Carolina to an 11-0 win over Davidson in what was the first night game ever played at Wildcat Park.

The game was shortened to seven innings due to the 10-run rule, giving Josey his first complete game and first shutout. With the win, Western improves to 12-7 overall and 3-1 in the Southern Conference. Davidson falls to 4-8, 0-6.

Josey (3-0) was masterful on the mound. The southpaw from Charlotte tossed his first career shutout, scattering five hits while striking out a career-high seven batters. The only time he got into trouble came in the first when senior D.J. Dailey singled to start the inning and sophomore Sam Navarro doubled him to third with one out. But Josey dotted the corner to get the next two batters looking at third strikes to end the threat. He would only allow three hits the final six innings.

Senior Derrik Wolpert (1-3) cruised through the first 3.2 innings for Davidson (4-8, 0-6), facing the minimum 11 batters, before a two-out error in the fourth prolonged the inning. The Catamount clean-up hitter Todd Buchanan took advantage of the mistake and blasted a 1-1 pitch over the fence in right for a two-run homer and a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth, Western Carolina utilized the wildness of Wolpert and its team speed to generate three runs on just one hit. Two walks, two wild pitches, one single, four stolen bases and one error later, the score was 5-0.

Alex Gary and Brian Sigmon each contributed RBI singles in the sixth to extend the WCU advantage to 7-0. The in the seventh, Todd Roper tripled to start the frame and chase Wolpert from the mound. Wayne Kilmer greeted reliever Stephen Choate with single to score Roper, and Alan Beck crushed a two-run bomb - his SoCon-leading sixth of the season - to left-center that cleared the trees. The Catamounts tacked on one more run to complete the scoring.

Eight of Western's nine starters had at least one hit, including Sigmon, Rod Goldston and Chris Davis who each had a pair of safeties, and eight of the nine starters crossed home plate at least once.

Goldtson, who delivered his 10th double of the season, now has 54 for his career, tying him for fourth on the WCU all-time list. Beck now has 33 career home runs to rank ninth on the school's all-time list, while his 171 career RBI ranks seventh.

The Catamounts stole five bases on the night and have stolen 35-of-40 on the season. That number is even more impressive considering the team only swiped 32-of-51 all of last season.

Navarro had two of Davidson's five hits on the evening.

The two teams are schedule to continue their three-game series on Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Park, beginning at 2 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m.