April 27, 2008

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Sophomore transfer Stephen Notaro finished 3-for-4 with his first career home run, but it was not enough as Western Carolina could not find the timely hits late despite rapping out 10 on the day to fall to the Furman Paladins Sunday afternoon, 6-5, in Southern Conference baseball action.

Western, which dropped its first home conference series since 2006, was swept at home for the first-time since the 2004 season when the College of Charleston took three from the Catamounts at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.

A native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Notaro finished a triple shy of the cycle with three RBI, including two on a single in the bottom of the second inning which gave Western a lead it would hold until the fourth. Notaro drove in sophomore Tyler Kirkpatrick and freshman Matt Johns with a shot through the left side for a 2-0 advantage.

With WCU up 3-1, Furman tallied a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to knot the game at three, capitalizing on a lead-off double, followed by a walk and a single with one out to load the bases. Catamount starter Corey Martin then plunked centerfielder Joey Rodgers to drive in one run just before the skies opened for an hour and two minute rain delay.

After the stoppage, Martin resumed work on the hill, surrendering an infield single to Marcus Rose to drive in the tying run before retiring Connor Lind himself on a come-back tap to the mound to end the threat, stranding the bases loaded.

Western Carolina reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame as Notaro led off with a double to right center before being moved to second by an infield single by sophomore Nick Liles and a sacrifice bunt by classmate Brent Greer. Senior Barrett Shaft, who went hitless on the day, drove in the go-ahead run on a sharp ground ball out to second base.

The Paladins, who won their school-record 10th-straight SoCon game, tied the game with a single run in the top of the fifth and surged ahead with a two-spot in the seventh to hold on for the win. Two walks by leftfielder Bobby Hubbard and right fielder Jay Jackson were plated on a two-out triple to right center by third baseman Brian Harrison to score what proved to be the game-winning runs.

WCU scored on in the eighth on the solo shot by Notaro, but could not find the equalizer in the final two innings to suffer its third-straight defeat.

Martin recorded a no-decision, tossing 4.2 innings with three strikeouts against one walk while allowing four runs - two earned - on seven hits. Sophomore Chris Masters (4-4) suffered the defeat allowing two earned runs on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work. Senior Tyler Sexton threw the final 1.2 innings in no-hit, scoreless fashion, fanning two.

Liles stretched his current team-best hitting streak to 16 games with a pair of singles on a 2-for-5 outing, while Greer was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once. Senior Blake Murphy finished 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, including one on an intentional pass.

Furman reliever Ian Parry (4-2) picked up the win as the third Paladin pitcher to toe the rubber on Sunday. He tossed four innings of three-hit, one-run relief with a pair of strikeouts and one walk.

Four Paladin hitters posted multiple-hit games as Rose, Harrison, Matt Hemingway and Ryan Lee each collected two hits apiece. Harrison and Lee tallied the only two extra base hits for Furman with a triple and double, respectively.

Western will step out of conference for the first of two mid-week games beginning on Tuesday as the Catamounts travel to Knoxville to face former skipper, Todd Raleigh, and the Tennessee Volunteers. The game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard locally on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee or online at www.WWCUFM.com. Air time is 6:45 pm, with the first pitch slated for 7:00 pm.