March 13, 2007

Final Stats

Athens, Ga. - Capitalizing on back-to-back walks in the top of the ninth inning, Western Carolina senior John Ingram, who two days prior was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week, blasted a three-run home run to right field to lead the Catamounts to a 3-1 win over the Georgia Bulldogs Tuesday night at Foley Field.

The win gives Western (10-6) two victories over nationally-ranked teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and now one over a Southeastern Conference (SEC) member.

Junior right-handed reliever Greg Holland struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth, scattering a pair of singles and stranding a pair of Bulldog base runners to earn his first victory of the season. He came on in the middle of the seventh inning to replace WCU starter, Drew Saberhagen, who kept Georgia at bay as the Bulldogs peppered the Catamounts with 16 base hits. The red-shirt sophomore transfer from Pepperdine allowed 13 base hits in 7.2 innings of work while limiting UGA to one earned run. Holland finished the inning and a third, using four K's to tally each out.

Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the ninth inning, junior Blake Murphy and senior transfer Kenny Smith each drew one out walks to put two on. After advancing to second and third on a wild pitch, Ingram took one to the opposite field for the three-run blast - his fourth home run in as many games - to give Western its first lead of the game.

In the home half of the ninth, Georgia led off with single by Jonathan Wyatt, but Holland countered by striking out Ryan Peisel swinging. Beckham delivered a one-out single to put runners at first and second with one away, but Holland again answered by striking out Joey Lewis for the second out of the inning. After a double steal by Wyatt and Beckham, Matt Olson could not hold up on a full-count pitch from Holland, striking out swinging to end the game, 3-1.

Although he did not factor into the decision, red-shirt sophomore starter Drew Saberhagen held Georgia at bay, allowing just one earned run in 7.2 innings pitched.

Ingram finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBI and was the only Catamount to have multiple-hits on the day. Freshman Nick Liles, who did not play in the series finale against Xavier, returned to the line-up and collected a single to extend his team-best hitting streak to eight games, matching the longest such streak of the season.

Georgia threatened early, using a single and a double down the right field line to put two on in the second inning. A slow-roller to the right side of the infield loaded the bases with no outs. Saberhagen battled back, though, recording back-to-back strikeouts - his only two of the day - before inducing a fly ball to centerfield by Wyatt to end the threat and leave the scoreboard empty heading into the third.

The Bulldogs had yet another chance to score in the sixth as Olson led off with a single, but was gunned out at the plate by left fielder Jonathan Greene trying to score from second on a base-hit by catcher Jake Crane.

Georgia (5-11) broke the scoreless tie in the eighth on consecutive singles by Olson and Clayton Cain to put runners on first and second. After a fly-out to center by Travis Parrott, Olson tagged and advanced to third with two outs. Holland relieved Saberhagen to face pinch-hitter Matt Cerione who hit a chopper over the head of third baseman, Liles, to plate the go ahead run, 1-0, setting up WCU's ninth-inning heroics.

Western returns home tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon to face the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in a Parkway Series event, presented by Arby's to benefit the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Asheville. After the fall, the Catamounts lead the inaugural challenge, 5-2. First pitch at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium is scheduled for 4:00 pm.