March 24, 2006

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Trey McDaniel went 2-for-3 with five RBI, including a key grand slam in the bottom of the seventh, to lead Western Carolina to a 9-8 come-from-behind over Wofford Friday night at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts, playing their 2006 Southern Conference home opener, improves to 13-9 overall, 2-2 in the league and 9-1 at home, while the Terriers drop to 15-11, 2-2.

The game featured two big innings. First, in the sixth, Wofford sent 11 men to the plate to score six runs. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Western also sent 11 men to the plate, scoring seven runs to take its decisive 9-8 lead.

The Catamounts took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After a one-out single by Barrett Shaft and a walk to Steven Strausbaugh, McDaniel hit an RBI bloop single just beyond the third baseman head to bring home Shaft.

In the top of the fifth, Wofford ended Brock Thornburg's no-hit and shutout bid on one swing of the bat when Stephen Johnson hit a leadoff home run, clearing the left-center field fence for his third blast of the season.

The Terriers scored six runs in the sixth on just three hits to take a 7-1 lead. Despite having a career-high eight strikeouts through five innings, Thornburg, who did walk four and hit three Terriers, was chased with no outs in the top of the sixth after hitting two batters and allowing a single to load the bases. John Brandt then pushed across Wofford's second run with a walk, forcing the WCU pitching change. WCU relief pitcher Brian McCullen got one strikeout before walking Johnson to make the score 3-1. Chuck Eller followed with a bloop single to left-center. While appearing to get out of the inning on a Ben Austin strikeout, a passed ball allowed Wofford's fourth run to score. Bradford Eaves made Western pay for the miscue with a two-run single to left.

Western trimmed its deficit to five (7-2) in the home half of the sixth. Strausbaugh singled, moved to second on a balk, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Blake Murphy sacrifice fly.

Wofford got that run back in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Eller delivered an RBI ground out to second.

However, Western, on the strength on a McDaniel grand slam, scored seven runs in the seventh to take a 9-8 lead. Andy John started things with a one out walk and would later score on Tim Hallam's double. Wofford would load the bases after walks to Shaft, which chased Terrier starter Austin Redwine, and Strausbaugh, setting the stage for McDaniel's grand slam, his sixth round tripper to trim WCU's deficit to one. Murphy kept the rally going with a walk, a stolen base and scoring on Grey Gregory's single to center. Gregory, who had two hits on the night, would eventually give Western its 9-8 lead on Jonathan Greene's sacrifice fly to center.

Senior Jeremy Ellenburg picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the season. He allowed one run one two hits with a walk and a strikeout. Greg Holland closed out the game, picking up his first save, allowing just one walk with three strikeouts over the final two innings.

Redwine pitched well, but did not factor in the decision. He pitched 6.1 innings, allowing six hits and five runs with four walks and six strikeouts. JD Melton (2-2) suffered the loss, allowing two hits and four runs with three walks and two strikeouts over the final 1.2 innings.

Offensively for the Terriers, six different players each had one hit with Eaves, Johnson and Eller each driving in two.

Western Carolina and Wofford will play the second of its three-game weekend series on Saturday with first pitch set for 4 pm.