Box Score March 28, 2008
Box Score
Cullowhee, N.C. - Playing its most complete game of the season, Western Carolina scored each of its 17 runs in the middle four innings, pushing across five runs in a single frame three times en route to a 17-2 shelling of UNC Greensboro Friday night in Southern Conference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
WCU starter Drew Saberhagen (1-3) worked eight solid innings, scattering seven Spartan hits while holding UNCG to just two earned runs to capture his first win of the season. He pitched around two walks with a season-high six strikeouts, which also tied his career-best tossed against Georgia Southern a year ago.
Saberhagen, a pre-season All-SoCon selection, also tied his career benchmark with his third, eight inning effort for the purple and gold. Last season, the Calabasas, Calif., native threw eight shutout innings against UNC Greensboro, surrendering just eight hits to the Spartans in a win on the road.
Freshman Geoff Turner worked a hitless ninth, pitching around a walk with strikeout in relief of Saberhagen helping the Catamounts win their third-straight.
WCU junior J.C. Lyons sparked the hit parade with his first career grand slam home run as a part of a 4-for-6, eight RBI performance. The Marietta, Ga., native finished with two round trippers to give him a team-leading nine on the year and was just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in the win.
Sophomores Brent Greer and Nick Liles each also posted four-hit nights with Greer going 4-for-5 with a double and Liles rapping out four singles. Senior Barrett Shaft posted a 3-for-5 night with two RBI while classmate Blake Murphy drove in three on a 2-for-4 showing, legging out his 10th double of the season.
As a team, Western posted eight extra base hits with a season-high six doubles. Lyons' eight RBI were also the most in a single-game by a Catamount this season. WCU pitching held the Spartans to two runs, an opponent season-low and the fewest allowed by WCU since shutting out Jacksonville in the Chapel Hill NCAA Regional a year ago.
UNC Greensboro jumped on top early with single runs in the top of both the second and third to lead 2-0 headed into the home portion of the third inning. Back-to-back one out singles by Liles and Greer followed by the 11th HBP of the season for Murphy loaded the bases in front of Lyons. The transfer blasted a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence for the team's first grand slam of the season and giving WCU a lead it would never relinquish. The Catamounts would rally with two away to scratch the board for a fifth run as Shaft singled home freshman Matt Johns for a 5-2 edge after three.
Western (9-14, 1-3 SoCon) again lit the scoreboard for five in the home half of the fourth, scoring one on a RBI double to right center by Murphy. The Waynesville, N.C., product would later trot home on a Spartan balk for a 7-2 advantage. Freshman transfer Ryan Mathews drove in a run with a single through the left side, with Shaft and senior Jason Haynes each driving in the additional three runs.
Lyons' strong night continued with a RBI double down the right field line to score Greer, who laced a double to right center to put two aboard in the frame. Murphy drove in the second run of the inning as Western Carolina continued to pull away from the Spartans, 12-2.
The scoring barrage was concluded in the sixth as Haynes dropped a bunt single to score Shaft from third after doubling and moving over on a fly-out by sophomore Dylan de Graaf. Murphy then drove in his third run of the game on an RBI single up the middle ahead of Lyons who belted his second four-bagger of the night, a three-run shot to straight away centerfield to provide the final tally, 17-2.
In the top of the ninth, Haynes ended the game for a third-straight time with his second, game-ending double play of the week. The Fort Mill, S.C., native opened the week with a two-run, walk-off home run in a home win over East Tennessee State and turned a double-play to conclude Wednesday's victory over UNC Asheville.
For the Spartans (17-6, 3-1 SoCon), starter Greg Martin suffered his first defeat of the season after only lasting three and a third innings, allowing eight runs - seven earned - on nine hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts. All told, UNCG sent six hurlers to the mound in the loss which snapped their nine-game winning streak.
Offensively, designated hitter Greg Feltes finished 2-for-3 to pace the Spartans as all seven of UNCG's hits on the night were singles.
Game two of the three game set is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
