April 13, 2006

Western Carolina at North Carolina A&T - Game One

Western Carolina at North Carolina A&T - Game Two

Greensboro, N.C. - Junior Ashley Adams sent three Aggie pitches over the outfield fence on Thursday afternoon and landed both her and her Catamount teammates in the Southern Conference record book. Adams recorded individual home runs 15 through 17 to tie the conference's single-season homer record and her trio of round-trippers - all solo shots - gave the first-year Western Carolina program 63 long balls, tying last season's College of Charleston squad for the most HRs in a campaign.

On the day, Adams went 4-for-7 with three home runs, three RBI and a slugging percentage of 1.857 as the Catamounts swept a non-conference doubleheader from the North Carolina A&T Aggies, 4-0 and 6-2, at the Lady Aggie Softball Complex.

For Western (28-15), the performance Adams turned in nearly overshadowed the great overall performance by freshman second baseman, Samm Keppel. The Hendersonville, N.C., native led six Catamounts with multiple hit outings going 4-for-5 (.800) at the plate and making six putouts with three assists and no errors for a perfect fielding percentage. Keppel raised her seasonal batting average 25 points on the day to join five teammates over .300. Freshman Lauren Ross hit safely in half of her plate appearances, 3-for-6, with classmate Allyson McCubbins and sophomore Savannah Filley each tallying three hits on the afternoon.

In game one, Adams led off the top of the second inning with a home run to give Western the early, 1-0, lead. Her solo shot would be the only run until the visitors' half of the fourth inning when the Catamounts would complete the scoring in the contest. Ross led off with a single up the middle and was successfully sacrificed to second by classmate Stephanie Beatty on a bunt. Keppel advanced Ross to third and McCubbins singled down the left field line to drive in Ross. Keppel and McCubbins would later score when Filley delivered a two RBI single to left field to round out the game's scoring.

Freshman Jenny Jackson earned her second shutout victory of the season, scattering three hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.

In the second game, Western again jumped out on top in the first inning with a single run, this time manufacturing the score. The second batter of the game, freshman Heather Pritchard walked and moved to second on a fielder's choice by Filley and was sacrificed to third by Adams. She would later score on a wild pitch.

Two innings later, Western would double its score as Adams belted a two-out home run to center field for the 2-0 advantage. In the fourth, the Catamounts would again double the existing tally on the scoreboard, plating two runs. Keppel drew a one-out walk and scored from first on an RBI double to center by McCubbins. The latter advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Pritchard.

North Carolina A&T scored its first run of the day in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a Catamount error and a couple of free passes. The Aggies loaded the bases with two outs, but a walk to A&T's leadoff hitter drove in their first run.

Western got the single run back in the fifth when McCubbins doubled down the left field line scoring junior Nikki Bost, who singled through the right side for her lone hit of the contest (1-for-3). An inning later, the Catamounts would complete its scoring with a one-out homer to left center by Adams, which was the tally that tied both SoCon records.

The Aggies (15-29) plated a final run on back-to-back one out doubles in the bottom of the sixth, but never threatened WCU.

Freshman Mendy McKenzie picked up her 15th victory of the season giving up just two runs, only one of which was earned. She scattered four hits while tying her own WCU record with 11 strikeouts and walking five.

Western Carolina returns to SoCon action on Friday and Saturday, visiting league perennial powerhouse, Chattanooga, for a three-game set. The first-year Catamounts will face Lady Mocs at 7:00 pm on Friday, and wrap-up the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday with a first pitch at 3:00 pm.