April 29, 2005

Final Stats

Greensboro, N.C. - Western Carolina junior pitcher Brian McCullen had his best ever outing, pitching a career-high eight innings and allowing just one run, while Jared Greenwood hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Catamounts a 3-1 victory over UNC Greensboro Friday night at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.

Western Carolina (23-18 overall, 11-11 Southern Conference) snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Spartans (23-16, 10-9 SoCon). Western's last win over UNCG was another outstanding Catamount pitching performance when Jared Burton pitched a three-hitter in a 2-0 WCU victory in Greensboro during the 2002 season.

The game only lasted 1:50 thanks to outstanding pitching performances by both teams. After Greenwood's two-run homer in the first, his sixth blast of the season, and an immediate single by Steven Strausbaugh, UNC Greensboro pitcher Chris Mason settled down to strikeout seven Catamounts.

With one out in the bottom of the third, UNCG offense looked as if it would give Mason some help, getting three consecutive singles. The final hit came from Jake Linney, driving in Jon Denote and make the score 2-1 in the Cats' favor. But McCullen (4-2) settled down as well, retiring the next 17 batters he faced. He did allow one hit to start the seventh, but picked the runner off first base to give him five straight three-up, three-down innings.

While McCullen was cruising on the mound, the Catamount offense got to Mason a bit in the fifth, regaining their two-run lead (3-1). Brandon Zollman laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line for a single. Two batters later, Barrett Shaft delivered an RBI double down the left field line, which proved to be the end of the scoring for the night.

Catamount closer Clint Ramsey came in a pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to earn his fourth save. Despite having some of the best pitching statistics in the SoCon, Mason dropped to 4-5 on the season.

Strausbaugh and Zollman led the WCU offense with two hits each. Strausbaugh now has a nine-game hitting streak and has a hit in 24 of his last 25 games. Jeremy Roulin had two hits to lead the Spartans' offense.

Western Carolina and UNC Greensboro are scheduled to play the second of three games this weekend on Saturday with first pitch set for 1:00 pm.