April 3, 2006

Final Stats

Boone, N.C. - After taking an early two-run lead after the top of the first inning, Western Carolina was held scoreless by rival Appalachian State over the final six innings, falling 6-2 in the final game of the three-game Southern Conference series played at Watagua High School. The Catamounts (24-13, 5-1 SoCon) suffered their first defeat in league play, but won their second-consecutive conference series in their first year of existence.

Things started well for the Catamounts, who entered the day looking for their second SoCon series sweep. Lead-off hitter, freshman Allyson McCubbins, ran her first pitch count full before singling to center field. She was moved along the base paths when freshman Heather Pritchard singled up the middle to put two on with no outs. Sophomore Savannah Filley moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch she saw, putting McCubbins at third and Pritchard at second. Two batters later, freshman Jenny Jackson singled through the right side, plating both WCU runs and giving her five RBI for the three-game series.

But the Apps answered in the home half of the first, tying the game at two after one. The Mountaineers used a lead-off single, a sacrifice bunt, and a throwing error by the Catamounts to plate their first run and move a runner into position at third. ASU tallied its second run on a ground out along WCU's middle infield to knot the game.

The game stayed tied at two until the bottom of the fourth inning when Appalachian manufactured an unearned run on the second Catamount error of the game, pulling ahead 3-2. An inning later, the Mountaineers would add three insurance runs, opening the inning with two doubles and a passed ball to chase Western starter Mendy McKenzie. On in relief action, Jackson, who garnered the extra inning win in game two of the set, was met with a third double of the frame, scoring the second run, and concluded the inning after allowing the final run, again scored on a two bagger for the final tally of 6-2.

Western Carolina's best chances to retake the lead came in the third inning when the Catamounts loaded the bases with one out, but back-to-back strike outs ended the threat stranding three. WCU went in order in both the fourth and fifth, grounding out a combined four times between the two frames, before mounting a challenge in the top of the sixth after spotting ASU three runs a half inning prior. Again the Cats managed to load the bases as freshman Lauren Ross drew a lead-off walk and was moved to third when classmate Stephanie Beatty singled and advanced to second on a Mountaineer throwing error. Pinch hitter, sophomore Brittany Underwood, was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs, but Western could not plate a run as the Apps recorded three-straight outs to end the threat.

Appalachian reliever, Fister, struck out the side in the top of the seventh to record the save, her second of the year.

For the Catamounts, McKenzie suffered just her fourth loss of the season, throwing four and a third innings allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out five and walking three. Jackson pitched the final one and two thirds innings in relief, scattering three hits and allowing just one earned run while fanning a pair and walking none.

At the plate for Western, four players went 1-for-4 on the day, with Beatty leading the team with a 2-for-3 showing. McCubbins and Pritchard, two of the four that went 1-for-4, each scored a run with Jackson driving in both runs on her lone hit of the game in the first inning.

Western steps out of conference this Wednesday, April 5, visiting Mercer in Macon, Ga., for a doubleheader. The Catamounts and Bears were supposed to have met each other earlier this season at the season-opening Georgia State First Pitch Classic, but the final day of the tournament was cancelled due to the frigid weather conditions. First pitch Wednesday is set for 5:00 pm. WCU returns home this weekend to host Elon in SoCon action. The three-game series will commence on Saturday with a doubleheader slated at 1:00 pm with the third and final game scheduled for 1:00 pm on Sunday at the Catamount Athletic Complex.