April 9, 2009

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Nick Liles' bases loaded chopper through the left side in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted Western Carolina to a 24-23 win over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in non-conference baseball action Wednesday night at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

Western Carolina's Mitchell Hatley led nine Catamounts with multi-hit games with a career-best, 7-for-7 performance including six singles and his first career home run as WCU tied a school-record with 30 base hits. The Mt. Pleasant, N.C., native also drove in seven and scored three runs in the win.

All told, the two squads combined for 47 runs, 47 hits and 12 errors in a game that took five hours and six minutes to complete. The two also combined to strand 25 base runners, 18 by the Catamounts alone.

The Catamounts finished with a .492 (30-of-61) team batting average in the win, which snapped a four-game seasonal slide and improved the team to 19-10 on the season. The 61 at bats rank second all-time in Southern Conference record books behind Georgia Southern's 64 plate appearances against Clemson in an 18-inning affair back in 1996.

Liles (4-for-8) and Trevor Collias (4-for-6) each rapped out four base hits apiece with J.C. Lyons driving in five runs on three hits including a double and his second homer of the season. He, along with Hatley, Collias and Dylan de Graaf all registered round-trippers for the Catamounts.

Eastern Kentucky (18-10) erased an eight-run, 17-to-9, deficit midway through the game to take a one-run, 20-19, lead in the top of the eighth inning.

However, WCU responded with a single run in the home half of the frame to eventually force extra innings. Liles drew a two-out walk, and then stole both second and third before Hatley drove him in as the tying run on a single to right field.

In the 10th, the Colonels capitalized on a pair of WCU errors to plate three runs and appeared to be in the driver's seat after a fly-ball out on the first Catamount hitter in the bottom of the inning. Yet, a throwing error allowed Matt Johns to reach where he was moved to third on consecutive singles by Collias and Liles to load the bases trailing by three.

Hatley registered RBI number seven on a single up the middle with Ross Heffley, who tallied three hits in the win, pushing across the second run on a sacrifice fly to right. The drama continued as Brent Greer singled deep in the hole at short to allow the game-tying run to come home in the form of Liles and a 23-23 deadlock. However, Lyons was struck out swinging to end the threat.

Greer finished 3-for-6 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.

After facing four batters in the top of the inning, the Catamounts again loaded the bases in the 11th as Johns doubled to left center with one aboard to put runners at second and third with one out. Collias was intentionally walked to put the force play back into effect, but Liles bounced a 1-1 pitch through the left side of the Colonel infield to drive in Reid Rollison with the game-winner.

Daniel Ottone (3-1) pitched the final 3.2 innings in relief to earn the victory, scattering three hits and surrendering four runs - only two of which were earned - with three walks and three strikeouts. Starter Matt Benedict was one of five pitchers used by WCU on the night, with Andrew Blackwell seeing the most extensive action. The Brevard, N.C., native allowed seven runs - five earned - on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout before being lifted after facing two batters in the seventh.

Western Carolina scored in four of the first five innings to claw out its eight-run, 17-to-9 advantage. The Catamounts erased EKU's four-run top of the second with a four-spot in the home half of the frame. The Colonels reclaimed the lead in their portion of the third before a six-run bottom, which featured a two-run homer by de Graaf and a bases-clearing, 3-RBI double by Lyons, put Western back on top, 10-5.

Eastern Kentucky plated 11 runs between the seventh and eighth innings to reclaim the one-run, 20-19, lead in the middle of the eighth setting up the frantic final four frames.

EKU reliever Matt Harris (1-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs - only one of which was earned - on six hits in the final 2.2 innings. The seventh Colonel pitcher used in the loss, Harris walked two with a pair of strikeouts.

Seven EKU players finished with multi-hit games as Matt Davis and Anthony Ottrando each went 3-for-7 with one of Michael Garcia's two hits clearing the fence in left center for a two-run home run.

Western Carolina returns to conference play this weekend as it hosts Georgia Southern for a three-game set. WCU, which was swept by the Eagles a year ago in Statesboro, has lost five-straight to GSU, last taking 2-of-3 in the 2007 series in Cullowhee.

First pitch on Friday and Saturday night is scheduled for 6:00 pm, with Sunday's finale slated for a 2:00 pm start.