Feb. 22, 2009

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Senior right-hander Corey Martin tied his career-high with eight strikeouts in six solid innings of work as Western Carolina completed the season-opening series sweep of Bowling Green, 14-5, Sunday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

Western Carolina (3-0) pounded out a series-high 16 base hits with just three of which going for extra bases. However, the Catamounts hit two home runs with multiple RBI including a two-run blast to left by junior Brent Greer in the bottom of the first, and a pinch hit grand slam by Dylan de Graaf.

It is the first-time since the 2002 season that Western Carolina has opened the season with a three-game series sweep. The Catamounts hit .356 as a team over the three-game set, while WCU pitching limited BGSU to .182, allowing just 18 hits on the weekend.

Greer led six Catamounts with multiple hit games with a 2-for-3 showing with two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Sophomore Matt Johns led all hitters with a 3-for-5 showing with a walk at the dish with a pair of runs. Also posting multi-hit games were senior J.C. Lyons (2-for-4), junior Stephen Notaro (2-for-4), junior Nick Liles (2-for-6) and freshman Ross Heffley, who finished 2-for-4 on the day and 6-of-11 on the weekend with a team-leading .545 batting average.

Martin only surrendered four base hits and two runs - one of which was earned - in six innings in the starting role. Freshman Andrew Blackwell pitched two thirds of an inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced before being lifted for classmate Garrett Baker who allowed a two-run home run in his third of an inning pitched. Freshmen Tyler Brownlow and Kyle Stewart each pitched an inning apiece to close the game for WCU with Stewart fanning two and walking one.

Western took a lead it would never relinquish in the home half of the first as Greer belted a two-run shot over the left field fence with Johns aboard after a one-out walk. The Catamounts would stretch the advantage to four in the fourth on a two-RBI double to left by Liles, scoring both Andy John and Trevor Collias.

An inning later, the Catamounts pushed the lead to 7-0 with a three-spot in the home half of the fifth all coming with two outs. Heffley, who was later plated by Collias on a hit batsman, drove in Greer with an RBI single to right center. Notaro capped the scoring, scampering home on a wild pitch.

Bowling Green scratched the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, capitalizing on a lead-off single by Ryan Shay and a three-base Catamount error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Dennis Vaughn, who later scored on a ground out by pinch hitter, Clay Duncan. The two-run frame closed the gap to five, 7-2.

In the home half of the sixth, Western again flexed its offensive muscle, erupting for six runs on five base hits to push the game back out of reach. Two singles by Johns and Lyons sandwiched around a ground out put two aboard ahead of junior Tyler Kirkpatrick who drew a one-out walk. With the bases loaded, Heffley drew a free pass to score Johns, with Notaro driving in Lyons with a single to right. Dylan de Graaf then pinch hit for Collias, blasting his first career grand slam over the fence in left to cap the inning.

Vaughn homered to right in the top of the seventh off Catamount relief pitching and the Falcons would add one run on a WCU error in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final tally. Shay led Bowling Green with a 1-for-3, two walk showing at the plate as he and Vaughn each scored two runs apiece.

Falcons' starting pitcher Brennan Smith suffered the loss, going 3.2 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Relievers Marty Baird and Kyle Atkinson were roughed up for three and four earned runs, respectively, with Phil Hettlinger and Tyler Basilone allowing the final three runs combined.

Western Carolina hits the road for its first-ever California swing beginning next Friday, Feb. 27 as the Catamounts visit perennial college baseball powerhouse, USC, for a three-game weekend set. The Trojans are a 12-time NCAA National Champion.

WCU will wrap-up the four-game trip with single game at preseason No. 11 San Diego next Tuesday, March 3.