March 31, 2007

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina sent fifteen batters to the plate in the home half of the seventh inning with nine of them crossing home plate as the Catamounts rallied from a 5-3 deficit to win game two of the three-game series, 12-5, over The Citadel Saturday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.

Western was lead by junior Barrett Shaft who hit 3-for-4 for the second-straight day adding three RBI. His classmate, Jonathan Greene, was a perfect 3-for-3 with one driven in while freshman Nick Liles went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Along with Greene, junior Steven Strausbaugh also scored a pair of runs in the game with freshman infielder Brent Greer recording three runs scored on a 1-for-4 outing, reaching three times on Bulldog errors.

The Citadel (17-10, 1-4 SoCon) used a three-run top of the sixth inning - including a two-run home run to left by Trey Thomas - to erase Western's early 3-1 advantage. However, the Catamounts erupted in the home half of the seventh by scoring nine runs, chasing Bulldog starter Matt Crim for reliever Raymond Copenhaver, who entered the day with a 1.82 ERA.

Copenhaver failed to record an out in the seventh as Greer reached base on an error to open the frame, later scoring on a Shaft double which was followed by a Blake Murphy single and that was all for the right-handed freshman. Reliever Matt Reifsnider, entering with nobody out, gave up a single to Greene which scored Shaft to tie the game, 5-5, still without an out having been recorded.

With runners on first and second John Ingram laid down a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher Reifsnider who threw to third where Murphy slid in safely to load the bases. Smith grounded out to shortstop, but drove in Murphy on the play, to put the Catamounts back in the lead, 6-5. After a Strausbaugh walk, Liles drove in two more Catamount base-runners on a single to the gap, giving Western an 8-5 lead still with only one out recorded. The rally continued as Andy John was hit by a Reifsnider pitch, again loading the bases for Greer who reached on a throwing error for the second time in the frame. The error by the short stop Jordan allowed Liles and Strausbaugh to score for the Cats. Shaft then drove in his game-high third run of the day on a sacrifice fly followed by three-consecutive walks to plate the final run of the frame giving the Catamounts a seven-run lead, 12-5, after seven innings.

All told, The Citadel used five different hurlers in the bottom of the seventh inning alone.

After the nine-run seventh inning Catamount reliever Bryan Corbett pitched a perfect eighth inning followed by freshman Ryne Nelson tossing a one walk and one strikeout ninth to seal the series win over The Citadel.

Western Carolina starting pitcher Drew Saberhagen (2-1) did not factor into the pitching decision as he allowed five runs and only one walk in 6.2 innings pitched for his fourth no decision of the season. Freshman reliever Chris Masters (4-2), who worked one third of an inning, earned the victory allowing just one hit in two batters faced.

The Citadel's Copenhaver dropped to 1-1 on the season, failing to record and out while allowing two hits and three runs against three Catamount hitters.

Western will look to sweep the Bulldogs Sunday afternoon with the first pitch is slated for 2:00 pm at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Fans can follow all of the action in the series on live GameTracker, presented by Carolina West Sports Medicine and West Care Health Systems, by logging onto CatamountSports.com. The Citadel Sports Network is also providing play-by-play with announcer Darren Goldwater online at www.CitadelSports.com.