March 10, 2006

Final Stats

Rock Hill, S.C. - Led by two long balls by sophomore Savannah Filley and the second grand slam in school history by freshman Allyson McCubbins, Western Carolina pounded out 10 hits, including four home runs overall, en route to the 12-3 victory over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs in five innings on Friday afternoon in pool play at the 2006 adidas/Winthrop Invitational.

The win snapped Western's five-game losing skid and evened WCU's record at 1-1 in the tournament. The Catamounts stand at 11-8 overall in their inaugural season with at least two additional games yet to be played at the current tournament.

Filley finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 with two home runs and a single. She scored three runs and drove in four. McCubbins hit 1-for-2 with two walks and delivered the grand slam in the top of the third inning to cap a six-run, two homer inning for the Catamounts.

Western opened the game with a leadoff walk by McCubbins. Two batters later, Filley belted her first homer to straight away center field to give WCU the early lead, 2-0. But the Bulldogs answered back in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot to right field by Jessica Williams to close the gap to one, 2-1.

After a scoreless second, Filley struck again as she delivered a solo blast to left center for her third RBI and second home run of the game. The Catamounts would break the game open later in the frame as freshmen Jenny Jackson and Lauren Ross both walked, with Jackson later driven in on a RBI double to left center by classmate Stephanie Beatty. Two hitters later, sophomore Heather Pritchard drew the free pass to load the bases for McCubbins who plated all three with one swing to center field.

The Catamounts added four runs in the top of the fifth as Pritchard led off with a ground rule double, but was later forced out at third. McCubbins walked and was scored by Filley on a single along the middle infield. With two on, junior Ashley Adams delivered her team-lead tying sixth home run of the season - tied with Filley - to give WCU a dozen.

Gardner-Webb scored one in the third and one in the home half of the fifth, but stranded the bases loaded in the fifth and could never move below the run rule barrier, falling in five innings.

Freshman right hander, Mendy McKenzie, earned her sixth victory of the season (6-2), going five innings scattering three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

Western Carolina concludes pool play at 10:00 am on Saturday morning, facing off against the UNC Wilmington Seahawks. A win would tie WCU and UNCW for the best record in the round robin pool, each with two wins and a loss.