March 25, 2009

Box Score

Knoxville, Tenn. - Volunteer pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts and catcher Blake Forsythe belted a three-run home run to straightaway center field as Tennessee downed Western Carolina, 5-1, Tuesday night in nonconference action at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week Stephen Notaro provided WCU's lone score of the night, hitting an opposite field home run in the sixth inning to pull the Catamounts within four following the three-run Forsythe shot. However, it was as close as WCU would close in the loss.

Western dropped to 15-6 overall on the season, while the Vols (10-12) halted a three-game slide and avenged last year's 5-2 home loss to the Catamounts.

Junior Brent Greer and freshman Ross Heffley each finished 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Catamounts with both legging out their seventh doubles of the season. Greer was the lone WCU starter not to strikeout in the losing effort.

WCU stranded nine base runners in the loss, including leaving runners on second and third base in both the second and third innings, respectively.

Corey Martin suffered his second loss of the season after working 4.1 innings in the mid-week start. The Yadkinville, N.C., native surrendered five earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts before being chased in the fifth inning following Forsythe's homer. Sophomore Matt Benedict tossed the final 3.2 innings of scoreless relief holding the Vols to two base hits with three strikeouts.

Josh Liles and Cody Brown led the Vols, both with 2-for-4 showings at the plate while Forsythe finished with three strikeouts as a part of a 1-for-4 night with the one hit plating three on the long ball to center.

Starter Ty'Relle Harris fanned eight while scattering four base hits through the first five innings to even his seasonal record at 2-2. Reliever Matt Ramsey surrendered three hits, including the solo shot to Notaro, with four strikeouts while Danny Wiltz closed out the final two innings in one-hit, scoreless relief with one strikeout.

Western Carolina returns home to host Kennesaw State - which fell 4-2 at SoCon-member Georgia Southern on Tuesday night in Statesboro - at 6:00 pm Wednesday night at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.