March 12, 2008

Box Score

Nashville, Tenn. - Senior Blake Murphy gave Western Carolina an early, 2-0, lead with his team-leading fifth home run of the season in the top of the first. However, No. 4 Vanderbilt answered in the home half of the inning, adding three runs in the second and two in the third en route to an 11-4 win over the Catamounts at Hawkins Field Wednesday afternoon.

Murphy led WCU (4-9) with a 2-for-4 showing with the homer and a double, driving in two of the Catamounts' four runs. Classmate Barrett Shaft posted a double to drive in his third run of the two-game series, with Nick Likes snapping a 0-for-6 start with two singles to finish 2-for-3 in the loss.

Senior Tyler Sexton had a rough outing, allowing seven earned runs in two and a third innings pitched. The left-hander scattered five base hits while striking out three, but also walked a pair and hit one batter to suffer his second loss of the season. Sophomore Chris Masters was Western's most successful reliever on the afternoon, tossing four, two-hit innings and holding the Commodores to one, unearned run.

Western Carolina returns home after its 10-game road swing for a three-game, non-conference series against Hartford. The two will play a double-header on Saturday at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm.