April 29, 2003

Final Stats

Stillwater, Okla. - Senior Alan Beck hit two home runs, but it was Western Carolina's nine-run seventh that gave the 34th-ranked Catamounts a 12-5 victory over No. 26 Oklahoma State Tuesday night at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. WCU improves to 30-14, while OSU falls to 28-16.

In the seventh, the Catamounts sent 14 men to the plate, thanks to six walks and five hits, and scored six of their nine runs were scored with two outs to break the game open. Denver Edick led off the inning with a double down the left field line. He scored the tying run on a Chris Davis double down the line. The Cowboys elected to load the bases and create a force out. However, Wayne Kilmer had an RBI groundout to first and Thomas Cowley walked in the go ahead run after the second intentional pass of the inning. Todd Roper stole home and WCU continued to pour it on. After the dust settled, Edick and Davis would have a single and a double in the inning with Edick driving in two and Davis plating three.

Ryan Basner picked up the win in relief by throwing three hitless innings to run his record to 5-2. Cody King suffered his first loss of the season and fell to 3-1.

Western Carolina took advantage of their first opportunity at the plate by scoring two runs. Roper led off the inning with a two-strike bunt single and scored when Beck lifted a fly ball over the left field fence.

The Cowboys cut the lead in half in the third inning (2-1). The bases were loaded with one out, but all OSU could muster was a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Jason Jaramillo to score Chris Gutierrez, who reached on an error. Scott Kirby and Brian Kraft gave the Pokes the lead (3-2) with back-to-back homers in the fourth.

Beck added a tape measure home run in the eighth that went onto the softball field. The blast gives Beck 15 for the season, which leads the SoCon.

The Cowboys added a couple of runs in the ninth, but the game ended when Kenny Hansley flied to left field.

The Catamounts and Cowboys will meet again Wednesday at 7 pm (6 pm CT). The game will be broadcast on WWCU 90.5 FM. Also, check catamountsports.com during the game for an updated box score and play-by-play.