April 16, 2006

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina scored three runs in the eighth to claim a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over 17th-ranked College of Charleston Sunday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts got two hits each from Blake Murphy and Steven Strausbaugh, including a home run by each, to improve to 20-16, 8-7 in the Southern Conference. The Cougars, who had 14 hits but left 15 runners on base, fall to 30-7, 12-3 SoCon.

In the eighth, Western's Strausbaugh threw out a Cougar base runner at the plate to end the top half to keep the score 3-2 in Charleston's favor. Then, the Catamounts started the home half of the eighth by getting three consecutive walks. Murphy would tie the game with an RBI single, driving in Barrett Shaft and keeping the bases loaded. Donnie Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly, plating Strausbaugh. An error on the play allowed Trey McDaniel to score what proved to be the winning run.

McDaniel's run proved key as the College of Charleston plated one run in the top of the ninth on a Michael Harrington sacrifice fly and had runners on first and second. However, WCU closer Greg Holland got a ground ball to end the contest and improve to 2-2 on the season. The sophomore pitched the final three innings, scattering five hits with one run, two walks and three strikeouts.

The Cougars manufactured a run in the top of the first. Phillip Coker walked, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Oliver Marmol's sacrifice fly to left. Charleston would get runners on second and third before WCU starter Brock Thornburg got a strikeout to escape with just one run and one hit.

Charleston padded its advantage in the second, scoring two runs on three hits. After a one-out double by Ben Lasater, Larry Cobb and Phillip Coker had back-to-back, two-out RBI singles. After allowing runs in the first two innings, Thornburg kept the Cougars off the scoreboard over his next four innings. Overall, Thornburg allowed nine hits, three runs, four walks and three strikeouts in six innings.

The Catamounts got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Murphy hit his eighth home run of the season.

Western then used another solo homer, which was the 15th on the season by Strausbaugh, in the sixth to make the score 3-2.

For the Cougars, Cobb and Campbell each had three hits, while Easterling and Garabedian each contributed two. Quinn Monsma, who entered the game in the eighth, suffered the loss, falling to 4-1. He allowed three walks without recording an out. CofC starter Graham Godfrey pitched seven solid innings, allowing five hits, two runs and two walks with eight strikeouts.

Western Carolina will stay in Cullowhee to host former SoCon foe East Tennessee State on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 7 pm.