April 1, 2005

Final Stats

Davidson, N.C. - Both Davidson and Western Carolina starting pitchers threw a complete game, but it was Davidson's Andy Carter who struck out a career-high 12 to lead his Wildcats to a 5-2 victory over the Catamounts Friday night at Wilson Field.

Carter only allowed four hits and two runs (one earned) while walking just two to improve to 3-2 on the season. WCU starter Caleb McConnell (4-3) scattered 11 hits, but surrendered a pair of two-run home runs, while fanning six and walking just one.

Davidson drew first blood as leadoff hitter Ronnie Shore lined the first he saw down the left field line for a double. Andrew Musashe followed with a bunt single to put runners on the corners. Jay Heafner drove in Shore with a sacrifice fly to right field. McConnell got out of a small jam as he picked off Musashe and struck out Gregory Zage.

Western rode that momentum to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the second. Steven Strausbaugh extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to start the frame. After a ground ball moved Strausbaugh to second, he scored when Jonathan Greene lined a single off the first baseman's glove.

The pitchers dominated the next three innings until Davidson strung together three straight hits in the bottom of the fifth. Taylor Shoop and Sam Navarro got things started with back-to-back singles. However, McConnell picked off Shoop at second, which proved key as Michael Muniz hit a towering two-run home run to right field to put the Wildcats up 3-1.

Davidson took advantage of the long ball in the bottom of the sixth. After a one-out single by Heafner, Zage hit a two-run homer to right-center field.

Western cut its deficit to three with a run in the top of the seventh. Jared Greenwood reached on a two-base error on a fly ball to left. Trey McDaniel then traded places with Greenwood with an RBI double off the left field fence.

In the ninth, Strausbaugh had a leadoff double, but was stranded on second to end the contest.

Shore, Shoop and Muniz led Davidson, each collecting two hits. Other than Strausbaugh's two hits, McDaniel and Greene accounted for the Catamounts' four hits.

Western Carolina and Davidson will play game two of the three-game set, which will also be WCU's fifth game in five days. First pitch is set for 2:00 pm on Davidson's Wilson Field.