April 18, 2009

Game One Box Score |  Game Two Box Score |  Notes

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina outscored Samford, 42-to-11, in sweeping both ends of Saturday afternoon's Southern Conference double-header to take the best-of-three series. The Catamounts won game one, 26-5, before taking the series with a 16-6 win in game two at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

In game one, Matt Johns' first career grand slam home run capped a five-run bottom of the first inning as Western pushed across runs in all but one frame it took swings in a 26-5 drubbing of the Bulldogs. A combined 16 different Catamounts recorded at bats in the game, with seven posting multi-hit games.

Leading 7-2 after two and a half innings, Western Carolina (22-15, 11-6 SoCon) broke open the otherwise close game with a seven-run third inning - all coming with two out in the frame. Two runs scored on consecutive RBI singles, with Johns driving in his fifth run of the game on a walk. Mitchell Hatley cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple to right field to cap the scoring.

WCU would add single runs in the fourth and sixth with a two-spot in the seventh before blowing it wide open with an eight-run eighth inning. Radley Haddad posted two hits in the inning including a single and his first career triple, which drove in three runs. A second pinch hitter, red-shirt freshman Justin Crawley, also recorded his first career base hit and subsequent RBI in the frame.

Corey Martin (6-3) surrendered all five runs - only four of which were earned - on seven base hits to secure his team-leading sixth victory of the season. The Yadkinville, N.C., native worked around three walks with six strikeouts through seven innings. Jason Sullivan tossed the final two frames of scoreless, two-hit relief with a pair of strikeouts.

Samford starter David Knapp (3-3) suffered the loss after allowing 14 runs - only one of which was earned - on 11 hits with five walks and two strikeouts through two and two-thirds innings pitched. He was chased following Hatley's three-RBI triple. Reliever Tyler Vanderheiden limited the Catamounts to two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts against three walks in three and a third. However, Clint Jones was touched-up for eight earned runs on eight hits with Bronson McGriff allowing two runs on two hits, both on one inning of work.

In the night cap, Western Carolina erased an early 1-0 Bulldog lead with a four-run home half of the second, and later pulled away after a seven-run fifth inning in the 16-6 victory.

Nick Liles opened the fifth inning with a single and was driven in on Ross Heffley's first career triple - the third, three-bagger of the day for the Catamounts. J.C. Lyons belted a two-run home run, with Liles batting again with a two-RBI double to end the scoring.

Mike Tavernier (3-3) returned to the win column by scattering eight base hits and six runs - only three of which were earned - in seven innings to secure the win. Tavernier pitched around a single walk with a season-high tying eight strikeouts. Brandon Johnson and Daniel Ottone combined to toss the final two innings of perfect relief, each fanning one Bulldog batter for a combined 10 strikeouts from the Catamount battery collectively.

Bulldog starter Andrew Jones was roughed up for 11 runs on 13 hits, including nine earned, in four and a third inning. The trio of relievers Samford used held WCU to five runs on three hits with three strikeouts over the final three and two-thirds.

Brent Greer led the Catamounts offensively on the day finishing 8-for-11 with a pair of doubles and his sixth home run of the season. The Manassas, Va., native also drove in a team-high tying six runs, sharing the honors with classmate Nick Liles who was 5-for-10 with a pair of doubles and six RBI. Hatley finished 4-for-7 with a triple and was hit by a pitch four times to match Greer's on-base percentage of .727.

In addition to Greer's home run, Johns' grand slam in the first inning of game one and Lyons' two-run shot in the fifth inning of game two gave Western seven home runs for the series and three between the two games Saturday.

Western Carolina travels to Atlanta, Ga., on Tuesday to face nationally-ranked Georgia Tech before entertaining the Yellow Jackets the following night (Wednesday) for the first-time ever in Cullowhee. Both games are scheduled to start at 6:00 pm. Tuesday's game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with an air time of 5:45 pm on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee or online at www.WWCUFM.com.