May 12, 2007

Box Score

Spartanburg, S.C. - Blake Murphy went 5-for-5 with three home runs and seven RBI as Western Carolina (36-15, 17-6 SoCon) crushed the Wofford Terriers (23-29, 6-17 SoCon), 21-3, Saturday afternoon at Russell C. King Field.

Overshadowed by the 21 runs scored by the Catamount offense, starting pitcher Drew Saberhagen (7-1) tossed six innings of scoreless ball, scattering five hits, walking three batters, and striking out three to earn his seventh win of the year.

During the last two games Murphy has combined for five home runs, 11 RBI, while scoring 11 in the first two games of the Catamounts final Southern Conference road series. He now has 15 home runs and 59 RBI, ranking him second in each category behind Kenny Smith who has 18 homers and 71 RBI. Murphy moves into 17th place in record book for most RBI in a career (141). Smith's 71 RBI moves him into a tie for eighth place with former Catamount assistant coach and player Alan Beck, for the most RBI in a season. Smith remains 14 RBI shy of Chris Moore who drove in 84 runs during the 1999 season. The 18 home runs currently ranks him in a tie for 14th place in the all-time home run list.

Western Carolina opened the scoring in the first inning with a three-run home run from Smith to give the Catamount the early 3-0 lead. Murphy reached base on a bunt single followed by a Steven Strausbaugh walk that led to Smith's team-leading 18th home run of the year.

In the Wofford half of the first with runners on first and second, cleanup hitter Brandon Waring hit a single to right fielder Strausbaugh, who launched a perfect strike to catcher Murphy who tagged out Bradford Eaves, who was trying to score from second.

After Wofford starting pitcher, Ben Austin struck out shortstop Mitchell Hatley to start the second inning, lead-off hitter Barrett Shaft connected on a single up the middle followed by Murphy hitting his first home run of the day, to put Western ahead, 5-0.

In the bottom of the second, Strausbaugh caught a fly ball in right field and gunned out Sterling Dye trying to tag from third to end the Terrier threat in the second.

John Ingram opened up the third inning by drawing a walk followed by Nick Liles reaching on a fielder's choice as Ingram advanced to second on a throwing error by Wofford starter Austin. After retiring designated hitter Brent Greer, shortstop Hatley walked to load the bases. Ingram scored on an Austin wild pitch to put runners at second and third. Murphy followed with his second three-run home run of the day to put Western up 9-0.

In the fourth inning, Jonathan Greene belted a solo home run to put Western up 10-0. With two outs Liles and Greer hit consecutive singles followed by a Hatley walk to load the bases. Shaft cleared the bases with a two-out 3-RBI double. Murphy hit his third consecutive home run of the day, a two-run shot which put the Catamounts up 15-0. Strausbaugh followed with a solo shot - his eighth home run in the last nine games - to put Western up 16-0 after three and a half innings.

Western added to the home run barrage as Greene added his second solo home run of the day, putting the Catamounts up 17-0.

The Catamounts added four more runs in the sixth, compliments of four base hits, a walk, and a hit batsman. Greene, Ingram, Liles, and Greer added an RBI apiece in the sixth to put Western up 21-0.

After the Catamounts were held scoreless in the seventh, Wofford scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning on five base hits, including a solo home run from second baseman Eric Strukie off of Catamount reliever Andrew Larrimore. Larrimore earned his first save of the season throwing three innings of seven hit ball, allowing three runs, walking two, and striking out three.

Eight Catamount batters had at least one RBI on the day as Greene, Shaft, and Smith totaled three RBI apiece. Western Carolina pounded out 19 hits as 10 different Catamount batters recorded at least one hit on the day. Shaft, Murphy, Strausbaugh, Smith, Greene, and Greer each had multiple hit games.

Wofford center fielder, Bradford Eaves was 4-for-4 on the day with one run scored and Sturkie had a solo home run for the Terriers.

Ben Austin (9-5) suffered his fifth loss of the season tossing three and two third while allowing nine hits and 11 earned runs while walking and striking out six.

These two schools will face each other for the series finale Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm tomorrow. The game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard locally in Western North Carolina on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee or online at www.WWCUFM.com.