March 16, 2003

Final Stats

Davidson, N.C. - It took over 24 hours, but Western Carolina was finally able to close out a 5-4 win over Davidson Sunday afternoon at Wildcat Park. The game started at 2 pm on Saturday and suffered through two rain delays (one for an hour and 10 minutes and another for 45 minutes) before being suspended. The game was to resume at Noon on Sunday, but did not start until 1:47 due to rain.

Trailing 4-2 in the seventh, Davidson cut the deficit to one on a two-out, RBI single by sophomore Eli Benefield. The Catamounts got that run back on a bases-loaded walk in the eighth before the Wildcats rallied in the bottom of the ninth, scoring one run on a wild pitch and putting the tying run on second with two outs. But reliever Brian Barnes got the third out on a grounder to short to pick up his first save of the year.

Ryan Foster (1-0) pitched one inning Saturday and three on Sunday, got the victory in relief, tossing four innings of one-run ball while striking out five. Davidson starter Andy Carter (1-3) yielded four runs in four innings to suffer the loss.

Leading the Catamount offense was Wayne Kilmer, going 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, while both Alan Beck and Todd Buchanan each drove in two runs. Sophomore Michael Muniz stroked a couple of doubles and a single, plus walked for a perfect game at the plate for the Wildcats.

Buchanan hit a two-run single with the bases loaded to cap a three-run third inning, giving Western Carolina a 3-0 lead. Davidson countered with two in the bottom of the fourth, and could have had more, but left fielder Beck threw out Michael Muniz at the plate to end the inning, marking the third time the senior has thrown a runner out at the plate this season. All three times proved pivotal since each contest ended up being one-run victories for the Catamounts.

The rain caused a one-hour, 10-minute delay in the top of the fifth after the Catamounts had scored another run and loaded the bases with one out. After the delay, Wildcat reliever Erskine Wells induced an inning-ending double play, third to home to first.

After Kilmer walked to start the seventh, the umpires once again called for a rain delay. After 45 minutes, they decided to suspend the game.