April 2, 2008

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Freshman Ryan Mathews laced an RBI double to right center field in the home half of the sixth inning to put Western Carolina up for good as the Catamounts completed the seasonal sweep of mountain-rival, UNC Asheville, 10-7 Wednesday night at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

Mathews finished 4-for-5, tying his career-high for hits in a single game while also extending his current hitting streak to 14-straight games. Sophomore Brent Greer also stretched his current hitting tear with a 1-for-3 outing, doubling in the fourth inning to match Mathews with a hit in 14-consecutive games.

Senior Barrett Shaft was the only other Catamount to post a multiple-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and belting his second home run of the season - a solo shot to right field that tied the game at one in the bottom of the first inning.

The Catamounts (12-15) pulled out to their first lead following Shaft's homer as Mathews singled through the left side to score senior Blake Murphy, who was aboard after drawing his team-leading 24th walk of the season. WCU led 2-1 after one inning of play.

UNCA again scratched the scoreboard in the top of the third, plating two runs on a double down the left field line to pull in front by a run, 3-2. However, the Catamounts again clawed back in the bottom of the frame on a RBI single to right center by sophomore Dylan de Graaf with Murphy scoring on a wild pitch to give Western a 4-3 advantage.

Western nearly broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning, plating three runs on two hits. Mathews singled and was advanced to second two batters later as junior Mitchell Hatley, who replaced senior Jason Haynes in the lineup in the fourth, walking to put two aboard. Sophomore Tyler Kirpatrick walked to load the bases ahead of sophomore Adam Baker, who delivered his first base hit of the season, a two-RBI single to left to drive in Mathews and Hatley. Two batters later, Kirkpatrick came home on a wild pitch to give Western a 7-3 advantage.

But the Bulldogs would not back down. UNC Asheville (12-19) pushed four runs across in the sixth inning, including an RBI triple by Beau Zinman and a three-run home run by Kevin Mattison, to knot the game, 7-7, after five and a half.

Western, which has won three-straight and six of its last seven games, was able to score one in the bottom of the sixth, adding two insurance runs in the eighth off a two-RBI single through the left side by Kirkpatrick to hold on for the 10-7 victory.

Freshman Matt Benedict made his second career start, tossing a season-high five innings and limiting the Bulldogs to three runs - only two of which were earned - while scattering six hits. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native pitched around four walks with three strikeouts, but received a no decision. Junior Garrett Ozar (4-2) settled down after a rough first inning where he allowed four runs on three hits to earn the victory. The transfer from Oak Park, Calif., held the Bulldogs to just one base hit the remaining three innings of his 4.0 pitched, walking just one and striking out four.

For UNCA, relief pitcher Matt Dalby came on in relief in the sixth inning, allowing the one earned run that put Western ahead, 8-7, to suffer his first loss of the season. Starter Ben Buchanan worked four innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits with five walks and four strikeouts as the Bulldogs used five different hurlers in the loss - their sixth-straight.

Bulldog shortstop Kevin Wiedenbacher extended his current hitting streak to 26-straight games with an infield single in the first, finishing 1-for-5 on the evening. Mattison led UNCA with a 3-for-5 outing, including a double, a home run and three runs scored.

Western Carolina returns to Southern Conference action this weekend as it welcomes the Davidson Wildcats to Childress Field / Hennon Stadium for a three-game set. Game one is set for Friday at 7:00 pm, with Saturday's game scheduled for 6:00 pm and the series finale on Sunday at 2:00 pm.