March 12, 2006

Final Stats

Elon, N.C. - Western Carolina sophomore Steven Strausbaugh gave the Catamounts an early lead with a two-run home run in the first, but Elon (12-6, 2-1 Southern Conference) scored runs in six of their eight innings to claim a 16-3 victory Sunday afternoon at Latham Park. The Catamounts ( 6-8, 1-2 SoCon) have one game left on its nine-game road swing, facing the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday at 5:30 pm in Athens.

In the first, after a one-out double by Grey Gregory, Strausbaugh sent a 3-1 pitch over the left field fence, giving the sophomore eight home runs in 10 games played this season. However, in the bottom of the first, the Phoenix used doubles by Donnie Jobe and Chris Price to cut the deficit to one, 2-1.

In the third, Elon took a 6-2 lead as walks to Jobe and Price led to a two-out, two-run triple by Chris Vasami. Vasami would then score on a balk by WCU starter Brock Thornburg. Then, after walks to Patrick Irvine and Grant Rembert, Robert Rodebaugh delivered a two-run double to right-center.

The Catamounts got one back in the top of the fourth. Trey McDaniel led off the frame with live-drive home run to right field, his fourth homer of the season. Western looked to do more damage, loading the bases with two outs, but Barrett Shaft's line drive to right-center was caught by Rembert.

Walks were Western's undoing in the fourth inning as well as the Phoenix took a 10-3 advantage. After a leadoff double by Jordy Snyder, Jobe and Ryan Addison walked to load the bases with no outs, chasing Thornburg. Price then cleared the bases with a grand slam, his second round tripper of the season.

The fifth inning saw its share of excitement. Gregory was on second and Blake Murphy on first with two out. The two looked to score on an apparent double by Scott Ward. However, the Catamount runs were taken off the board Ward was ruled to miss first on a double.

In the home half, Elon extended it lead to 10 runs. With the bases loaded and two outs, Vasami lined a three-run double to right-center field. Then, in the sixth, the Phoenix tacked on another run when Rembert singled, advanced to second on a walk and scored when the Cats' committed a throwing error on the back end of a double play attempt.

In the eighth, Elon took advantage of four walks and two singles to provide the 16-3 margin.

Matt Chastain improved to 4-0 on the year, allowing seven hits and three runs with three strikeouts in six innings. Offensively, Jobe, Vasami and Snyder had three hits each.

For the Catamounts, Gregory accounted for two of Western's eight hits. Thornburg suffered the loss, falling to 1-1 in the season. He allowed five hits and nine runs with six walks.