April 13, 2008

Box Score

Elon, N.C. - Senior Blake Murphy blasted two home runs including a grand slam in a five-run fifth inning as Western Carolina belted three home runs en route to a 6-3 Sunday afternoon over the Elon Phoenix at Latham Park.

The win snapped Western's three-game slide, while also preventing the series sweep. It was the first road win in conference for the Catamounts and just the third home defeat for the Phoenix on the season.

Junior right-hander Corey Martin (1-1) tossed 5.2 innings in the starting role to post the victory, working the first four and a third in no-hitter fashion. He allowed two earned runs on four hits, pitching around two walks with five strikeouts. Senior Tyler Sexton threw 2.1 innings in hitless relief for the second-straight game, walking one and fanning three, while sophomore Chris Masters worked around two walks with a strikeout and inducing a game-ending double-play in the ninth.

Murphy finished 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and a game-high five RBI. He finished with three homers on the weekend. Junior Mitchell Hatley recorded multiple hits with a pair of singles in a 2-for-4 showing. Sophomore Tyler Kirkpatrick hit WCU's other home run, finishing 1-for-4 in the win.

For the third-straight game, WCU climbed on top courtesy of a solo home run. Murphy gave the Catamounts an early 1-0 lead with a lead-off homerun in the top of the second inning. That lead stood until the top of the fifth when the Catamounts exploded for five runs.

Kirkpatrick hammered a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a one-out home run to push WCU ahead 2-0 to start the rally with the first of three-straight hits. Mitchell Hatley singled to center and Nick Liles grounded a single through the left side to put two aboard, with senior Barrett Shaft hit by a pitch with two away to load the bases ahead of Murphy. The Waynesville, N.C., product crushed a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left for a grand slam pushing WCU ahead, 6-0.

Elon trimmed the deficit to four, 6-2, with two runs in the home half of the sixth as pinch hitter Mike Lobacz doubled to left field, chasing Martin. With two on and two out, Sexton induced a ground ball to third by pinch hitter Greg Annarummo to stand a pair of base runners.

In the ninth, the Phoenix used back-to-back walks issued by Masters, with shortstop Neal Pritchard driving in a run with an RBI single to left to pull Elon with three. However, a strikeout and a game-ending double play turned by Brent Greer-to-Mitchell Hatley-to-Kirkpatrick ended the threat and the game, 6-3.

Elon starter Jesse Lewter (3-2) suffered the defeat after allowing six earned runs on eight hits including all three homers. He did match his career-high with eight strikeouts, walking one and hitting one batter. J.D. Reichenbach tossed the final two innings in hitless, scoreless relief in the loss.

The Catamounts finished with two double-plays turned and only stranded four base runners while out-hitting the Phoenix, 8-to-5.

Western Carolina steps out of conference on Tuesday night as it visits Doug Kingsmore Stadium to face the Clemson Tigers. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm. The game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard locally on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 and online at www.WWCUFM.com.