April 4, 2009

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - BYU scored eight runs in the final two frames to thwart Western Carolina's rally for the second-straight day, sweeping the three-game series with an 18-12 victory on Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

The Cougars (18-10) slugged out 22 hits and an opponent season-high 18 runs to hand WCU its third-straight loss. It also marks the first time in which the Catamounts have been swept in a three-game series this season, falling 1-0 on Thursday in a pitcher's duel and 15-11 on Friday night.

Western Carolina (18-9) rallied with two runs in the fourth, five in the fifth and three in the sixth to take its first lead of the series, 12-10. In the fourth, Reid Rollison led off with a double to right center and scored three batters later on a fielding error at third base. Trevor Collias, who reached on a walk, came home to score the second run of the frame on a fielder's choice.

The big inning came in the fifth for Western. After BYU scored twice in the top of the frame on a two-run by Bryce Ayoso, the Catamounts scored five including a two-run bomb by Rollison, the first of two round-trippers for WCU in the inning. Stephen Notaro belted his team-leading seventh homer of the season with two out to end the flurry and pull WCU within a run, 10-9.

Brent Greer registered his lone hit of the game (1-for-5) on a triple off the wall in right and scored on a sacrifice fly by J.C. Lyons to knot the game at 10. Very reminiscent to his pinch hit double with the bases loaded on Friday night, Rollison laced a two-bagger down the same line to move pinch runner Matt Johns to third with one out. Nick Liles gave the Catamounts their lone lead of the three-game set with a two-RBI single through the left side, handing Western a 12-10 lead.

Liles finished with a team-high three RBI.

However, BYU plated three in the eighth on RBI singles by Brandon Relf, Michael Bowen and Kasey Ko to reclaim the advantage, 13-12. The Cougars pushed across five insurance runs in the top of the ninth, four coming on a Bowen grand slam to left field.

Bowen finished with five RBI on a 3-for-6 showing at the plate, while Ko recorded three hits in four plate appearances as eight Cougars posted multi-hit games.

Relief pitcher Brandon Michon (1-2) earned the win after retiring the Catamounts in order in the seventh with BYU grabbing the lead for good a half inning later. Michon worked an inning of hitless, scoreless relief, pitching around one walk. Jordan Muir captured his seventh save of the season by holding the Catamounts off the bases in the final two frames.

Liles and Rollison each finished with a team-high three hits in the losing effort, with the latter driving in two. Notaro and Lyons each had a pair of hits and runs driven in apiece.

Daniel Ottone (2-1) suffered the loss in relief for Western, which used eight hurlers in the loss. The right-hander worked three innings out of the bull pen allowing three earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. Starter Chris Masters had his shortest outing of the season, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings.

Western Carolina continues its six-game non-conference swing with a pair of mid-week games beginning Tuesday night at Kennesaw State. The Catamounts return home to host Eastern Kentucky at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium with a special start time of 5:00 pm.