April 13, 2007

Box Score

Greensboro, N.C. - Western Carolina junior Tyler Sexton kept Spartan hitters off balance through seven innings of a pitcher's duel, with reliever Greg Holland pitching out of a bases loaded eighth inning jam to earn his seventh save of the season as the Catamounts downed UNC Greensboro, 5-2, Friday night at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.

Tied at one, Western (22-11, 7-3 SoCon) plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth and again in the ninth to earn its eighth-straight win, which includes seven-in-a-row in Southern Conference play. Sexton earned his sixth victory of the season - the fifth coming on Friday.

With forecasted inclement weather set to hit the Piedmont Triad late Saturday night through Sunday, officials have rearranged the three-game conference series. Instead of playing one on Saturday and one on Sunday afternoon, the Catamounts and Spartans will play two on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00 am.

Both games on Saturday will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network with an air time of 10:45 am. Fans can follow all of the action locally in Western North Carolina on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 or online at www.WWCUFM.com.

Sexton (6-0) tossed seven innings on Friday, scattering six hits and allowing just one earned run with one walk and five strikeouts. From the fourth through the seventh, the High Point, N.C., native sat down 10-straight Spartan hitters before allowing a two-out single in the seventh Holland finished off the final two innings giving up one earned run on one hit, three walks and a strikeout.

UNC Greensboro (17-17, 5-5 SoCon) broke open a scoreless game, manufacturing a run in the home half of the third inning on two singles and a sacrifice bunt. First baseman Joel Johnson led off the frame with a single to left and was moved to second on the bunt by Tim Carrier. After a strikeout, third baseman Guy Welsh singled up the middle, driving in Johnson as the throw from center by WCU's Barrett Shaft, which was on target, careened off the pitcher's mound allowing the run to score.

The Catamounts responded three innings later as freshman Brent Greer led off with his first collegiate career home run to right center field, blasting the 1-0 pitch over the fence to tie the game at one.

Western claimed its first lead in the visitors portion of the eighth as freshman Nick Liles laced a one-out double to right center field, chasing UNCG starter, Ryan Falcon. Two batters later, with Liles at third, Shaft, too, doubled to right center allowing Liles to trot home. Following a walk by Blake Murphy, junior Jonathan Greene singled to score Shaft from second, but was gunned out at second trying to stretch it to second base ending the inning.

In the home half of the eighth, UNC Greensboro short stop Matt Gaski led off with a triple down the right field line, ending the night for Sexton. Holland came on and despite a couple borderline pitches walked back-to-back batters to load the bases with no outs.

Yet, the preseason All-SoCon hurler got pinch hitter Corey Overholtzer to pop up to Kenny Smith at second before inducing a pop-up in front of the plate by Sean Snell. With first base occupied and bases loaded, the home plate umpire immediately signaled that Snell was out via the infield fly rule. Liles charged on the play from third, calling off Murphy as the ball drifted back into fair territory and just out of his reach, falling to the ground. Gaski, who attempted to advance at his own risk, was caught between third and home when Liles fired the ball to Greer covering third for the non-traditional double-play, thus ending UNCG's threat.

Using a lead-off walk by John Ingram, Western added a couple of insurance runs in the top of the ninth as Smith sacrificed his classmate to second before an RBI triple down the right field line by Steven Strausbaugh scored Ingram. Liles then scored Strausbaugh on a hard-hit ball to third that was bobbled by UNCG's Welsh, giving WCU a 5-1 lead entering the ninth.

The Spartans plated one run in the bottom of the frame on a walk and a double, but Holland's lone strikeout and a bouncing ball to second ended Greensboro's threat and the game.

Shaft, Greene and Greer each posted multiple hit games for Western going 2-for-4 in the win. Four Catamounts posted extra base hits as Shaft and Liles each posted doubles, Strausbaugh a triple and Greer belting the game's lone home run.

For UNCG, senior Ryan Falcon (3-6) lasted 7.1 innings giving up two earned runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Sophomore Clinton McKinney surrendered three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout.

Games two and three of the series are set for Saturday morning at 11:00 am with the second game tentatively set for 2:00 pm.