March 24, 2007

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina softball dropped a pair of games, 9-2, 4-2, against Appalachian State Saturday at the Catamount Complex. It was the opening of Southern Conference play for both clubs, with the Mountaineers getting the early 2-0 advantage in the conference race and the Catamounts down 0-2.

It was a rocky start for Catamount pitcher Mendy McKenzie, as she hit the first two Mountaineer batters to start the game. The bases were loaded for Appalachian State when Lindsay Glover reached on a fielder's choice. Appalachian State got their first run of the game off a passed ball and a sacrifice fly and a pair of RBI singles gave the Mountaineers the 4-0 advantage to start the game.

Western Carolina cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first inning, scoring two runs. With bases loaded, Appalachian State pitcher Yancy Moose walked Lauren Ross to allow Kayla Kelley to score. Moose came back and walked Bost as well, to walk home Stephanie Beatty.

The Catamounts just couldn't seem to dig themselves out of the hole they put themselves in to start the game, giving up three runs in the third inning and two in the fourth. The club had just three hits in the game one each from McKenzie and Beatty and Kelley recorded her first hit of the season. McKenzie also took the loss in the game and falls to 5-11 on the season.

It was a pair of homeruns that finally put the Catamounts on the board in the second game. Appalachian State built a 4-0 lead thanks to a run in the second, two in the third and one in the sixth.

Beatty hit a solo homerun over the left field wall to open Western Carolina's half of the sixth inning. It was the third homerun of the season for Beatty. With two outs, Lauren Ross launched a long ball over the left field wall for her fourth homerun of the season which currently leads the team.

Western Carolina had a great scoring opportunity in the final frame of the game but couldn't capitalize. McKenzie hit a one out single up the middle, her third hit of the game, and with two outs Beatty singled to the right side to put runners on first and second. Savannah Filley came to the plate, and statistically speaking she was a great choice to have at the plate, as she was hitting .315 with 23 hits and three homeruns. It just wasn't meant to be as she hit a dribbler to second base to end the game.

Ross got the start in the game going two innings allowing one earned run and five hits. Filley came into the game in relief and allowed five hits and just one Mountaineer run in five innings of work. Ross takes the loss and falls to 4-5 on the season.

Western Carolina had six hits in game two, and McKenzie accounted for three of them. Beatty had two hits and Ross had one.

The club hosts Appalachian State in the final game of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Catamount Complex.