March 9, 2003

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - With the game tied at 5-5 going into the bottom of the seventh, senior Alan Beck delivered a two-out home run and junior Denver Edick added a two-run homer to give Western Carolina an 8-6 victory over The Citadel Sunday afternoon at Hennon Field/Childress Stadium.

The Catamounts took 2-of-3 to win its opening Southern Conference series and improve to 10-6 overall, 2-1 in the SoCon. The Bulldogs fall to 6-7, 1-2.

Like yesterday, the Catamounts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in he first inning. Beck had a two-out double and scored on an RBI single by Todd Buchanan. Western added two runs in the fourth to make the score 3-0. Edick doubled and scored on a Brandon McDowell single. Rod Goldston, who had walked and advanced to third on McDowell's hit, scored on a Matt Nelson groundout.

The Citadel did not pose a threat through the first four innings, getting just two hits. However, in the fifth, Chris Altman belted a leadoff home run to make the score 3-1. The Bulldogs then strung together back-to-back hits by Chris Ard and Brook Dantzler. The duo advanced 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt. Jon Aughey drove in Ard with a ground out to short. Then Matt Matulia singled to right to plate Dantzler.

The Citadel started the sixth inning the same as it did in the fifth, but this time it was Chip Cannon who sent the first pitch of the inning over the left center field fence, giving the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.

Western answered with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Goldston set the table with a one-out single to center. Two pitches later, McDowell hit his first career home run to make the score 5-4.

The Citadel knotted the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh. Aughey hit a one-out triple to right center. WCU relief pitcher Brian Barnes looked to get out of the inning unscathed when Jason Randall hit what appeared to be a double play ground ball. However, the Cats could not convert and Aughey scored the tying run, which was the first earned run Barnes had allowed in his sixth appearance of the season.

Western broke the tie in the bottom half, thanks to the home runs by Beck and Edick. The Citadel put together a final charge in the bottom of the ninth as the tying run came to the plate with two outs. However, Barnes got Cannon to ground out and end the game.

Edick had a break-out game for the Catamounts by going 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. The junior, who is tied for the team lead with seven walks this season, only had one hit prior to today's game. McDowell, who is splitting time as a Catamount starting pitcher and designated hitter, went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Beck, Buchanan and Goldston each added two hits as well. While Todd Roper was 0-for-5 at the plate, he was a busy man in the field, accounting for 10 of the Bulldogs' 27 outs.

Catamount starter Seth Foster did not factor in the decision, allowing eight hits and four runs in 5.2 innings. Barnes improved to 2-2 on the year, pitching the final 3.1 innings with three hits, one run scored, two walks and a strikeout.

The Bulldogs were led by Ard, who went 4-for-4 today and 9-for-10 in the series. Bulldog starter Ryan Owens (0-3) suffered the loss, allowing 10 hits and seven runs in 6.2 innings.

Western Carolina will begin a six-game road swing on Tuesday ( Mar. 11), facing Gardner-Webb at 3 pm. The Cats will then travel to Columbia, S.C., to face South Carolina at 7 pm on Wednesday.