March 21, 2006

WCU-Hartford Game One Final Stats

WCU-Hartford Game Two Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina sophomore Blake Murphy went 5-for-7, including two home runs, with 10 RBI to lead the Catamounts to a Tuesday doubleheader sweep over Hartford at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Western (11-9) won game one, 24-12, while getting its first shutout of the year in game two, claiming an 11-0 victory over the Hawks (1-12) in seven innings.

Murphy was 4-for-4 with four runs scored and six RBI in game one, and followed that with a 1-for-1 performance in game two, adding two runs scored and four RBI. Tim Hallam also had five hits in the doubleheader, while Barrett Shaft, Grey Gregory and Steven Strausbaugh each added four hits in the twinbill.

While Western's offense was productive in both games, it was the pitching of Waynesville senior Caleb McConnell which stole the headlines in game two. Coming off Tommy John surgery less than a year ago, McConnell (1-2) had struggled to find his rhythm in his first four outings. However, Tuesday night he pitched six innings, allowing just four hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. Jeremy Ellenburg (1-0) came out of the WCU bullpen and picked up the win for Western in game one.

In game one, Western Carolina jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff single by Gregory, Trey McDaniel hit a two-out, two-run home run, his fifth blast of the season. Then, after Murphy walked, he moved to second on a throwing error and scored when Jonathan Greene reached on an error. Western would eventually load the bases thanks to a double by Hallam and a walk to Ryan Wilson. However, starting pitcher Ben Sobocinski avoided further damage by getting a ground out.

With two outs in the second, the Cats extended their lead to 4-0. Strausbaugh belted his 10th home run of the season, clearing Western's "Purple Monster" in left field. McDaniel followed with a double, but was thrown out at home by Hartford's left fielder Erik Price on Murphy's single to end the inning.

The Hawks tied the game at 4-4 on one swing of the bat in the top of the third. With two outs and the bases loaded, Sobocinski cleared the bases with a grand slam, his second round-tripper of the season.

Western regained the advantage in the bottom of the fourth. With two out and two on, Murphy hit his third home run of the season, giving the Cats a 7-4 cushion. One inning later, WCU once again led by four on a two-out, RBI double by Shaft.

In the sixth, Hartford scored four runs in an inning for the second time in the contest to tie the game. David Grossman got things started with a two-run home run, his second of the season. Brady Stouffer followed with a double and scored on a two-out triple by Frank Cipolla. Ryan Crowley capped the scoring in with an RBI bloop single down the right field line.

In the home half of the sixth Western scored four runs on four hits to take a 12-8 lead. After hits by Murphy and Greene, Wilson hit his first career home run, a three-run shot to left-center field. Thanks to a single by Haynes and a Hartford error, Shaft delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Haynes.

The Hawks trimmed its deficit to three (12-9), with a run in the top of the eighth. Bryan Propst had a one-out double and scored two batters later on Crowley's double.

The Catamounts put the game out of reach by scoring 12 runs in the bottom of the eighth. The tally was one run shy of the WCU record of 13 runs in an inning, set twice versus VMI (1988 and '91). The Hawks used four walks, a single and an error to push three runs across in the ninth and provide the 24-12 final.

Like it did in game one, Western scored in the bottom of the first courtesy of a home run. Hallam had a leadoff double and Shaft walked, setting the stage for Murphy's second home run of the day and fourth of the season.

In the second inning, Western sent nine men to the plate and used five hits to score five runs to take an 8-0 lead. The Cats capped the scoring in the fifth with RBI singles by Shaft and Ward. Ward would later score on a wild pitch for the 11th and final run of the game. For the hawks, Sobocinski, Crowley and Cipolla each had three hits. Jon Casey (0-1) suffered the loss for Hartford in game one, allowing 10 hits and seven runs (six earned) in 3.1 innings pitched. In game two, starter Erik Price (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing seven hits and eight runs in 1.1 innings of work.

Western Carolina will return to action Wednesday (Mar. 22), hosting Gardner-Webb at 7 pm.