May 19, 2006

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - After Furman scored five runs in the first two innings, Western Carolina relief pitcher Caleb McConnell tossed six scoreless innings, but the Catamount offense left 10 runners on base to drop a 5-4 decision to the Paladins Friday night at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Western (30-24, 13-12 Southern Conference) and Furman (31-20, 15-10 SoCon) will conclude the regular season with a doubleheader starting at 2 pm Saturday. Prior to the game, Western will honor its six seniors.

McConnell only allowed three hits with no walks and two strikeouts in hat was most likely his final performance at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Offensively for the Catamounts, Jonathan Greene was 4-for-5 with three RBI, while Barrett Shaft was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.

Furman was led by shortstop A.J. Davidiuk, who accounted for four of the Paladins five runs, was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Also, he made several key plays in the field.

The Paladins took advantage of two Catamount errors to score twice in the top of the first. With the bases loaded and two outs, thanks to two errors and a hit, Tyler Sexton, who had just allowed 10 walks in 83 innings, walked back-to-back batters Joe Daysh and Tony Maccani to plate two unearned runs.

Furman padded its lead with three runs in the second. Spence Gibbs had a leadoff single and Ben Terry followed with a bloop single. After a sacrifice bunt, Davidiuk delivered a two-run double. He later scored from second on a hustle play, going to third and on to home on a ground out by Case Cassidy.

Western threatened in the fourth getting runners on the corners with no outs thanks to a Shaft double and a Greene single. However, Furman starter Matt Klinker got two pop outs and a fly out to escape unscathed.

The Catamounts were able to break through sending eight men to the plate in the sixth and making the score 5-2. After an infield single by Shaft, Greene hit a line drive home run to center for his 11th blast of the season. Western would eventually load the bases with two outs before Klinker got a pop out and a ground out to limit the damage.

Klinker improved to 6-4 on the season, scattering 12 hits over six innings and allowing four runs with one walk and four strikeouts.

Western trimmed its deficit to one with two runs in the seventh. Donnie Wilson had a leadoff single and moved to third on Shaft's double. Greene plated Wilson with a single and Shaft would score on a wild pitch by Furman relief pitcher Patrick Arnett.

Western threatened in the eighth and ninth innings, getting a runner on in each. However, Furman was able to get a double play in the eighth and Greene was left stranded at first after a two-out single in the ninth.

Arnett did not allow a hit or a walk over his two innings, giving way to Nick Hollstegge in the ninth. Hollstegge retired three of the four men he faced to earn his 10th save of the season.

Sexton suffered the loss, falling to 7-6. He pitched two innings, allowing five hits and five runs (three earned) with two walks.