April 6, 2003

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina sent 13 men to the plate and scored eight runs in the first inning en route to a 12-2 win over Georgia Southern Sunday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts (23-10, 13-2 SoCon) complete a three-game sweep over the Eagles (19-13, 8-6 SoCon) for the first time since 1992.

The start of the game favored the Eagles as each of their first two batters reached first. However, James Payne, who singled, and Brendan Gilligan, who later walked, were each thrown out attempting to steal second by WCU catcher Dever Edick, who has thrown out 11 of the 19 runners who have attempted a steal. WCU starting pitcher Ryan Basner (3-1) then struck out Rocky Baker to end the first.

In the bottom half, Georgia Southern's Brian Rogers got a quick out when leadoff hitter Todd Roper flew out to right. However, Wayne Kilmer followed with a walk and four of the next five batters each collected hits - the lone exception being a hit batter. Number nine hitter Matt Nelson ended the streak of reaching base safely with a sacrifice fly to center. Roper, batting for the second time in the inning, doubled and Kilmer followed with his second walk. Alan Beck then reached on a fielding error, allowing two runs to score and cap the inning.

Western Carolina tacked on two more runs in the second to make the score 12-0. Rod Goldston had a leadoff infield single and later scored on Chris Davis' bloop-single to right. Davis advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Nelson's double.

Georgia Southern, who only had two hits through four innings, got on the board in the fifth. Carlos Love started the frame by being hit by a pitch. Two ground outs later, he was on third and scored on an RBI single by Brandon Long. The Catamounts responded with two runs in the bottom half thanks to a two-run, home run by Beck into the teeth of a stiff wind. Beck now has 10 homers this season, tying teammate Todd Buchanan for the SoCon lead, and 37 for his career, tying for sixth on the WCU and 11th on the SoCon all-time lists.

Basner was once again impressive on the mound, pitching seven complete. He scattered five hits and surrendered only one run with a walk and two strikeouts. Joe Camac worked a perfect eighth with a strikeout, while Brian Barnes pitched the ninth. The Eagles did push one run across on Barnes after a Grant Burruss double and a Love single.

Western had several offensive stars in the 15-hit performance. Roper and Goldston were each 3-for-5 and Chris Davis was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Beck was 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Nelson drove in a pair as well.

Georgia Southern has seven batters each get one hit for their total on the day with Love and Long providing the RBI. Rogers fell to 2-4 on the year. He lasted two complete and gave up nine hits, 10 runs (eight earned) and walked two while fanning three.

Western Carolina will return to action with two games versus UNC Asheville this week. The first contest will be played at Greenwood Field on Tuesday (April 8) at 3 pm. The teams will turn around the following night (Wednesday April 9) to face each other at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. That game is set to begin at 7 pm.