Feb. 23, 2010

Box Score

Charlotte, N.C. - Tyler Kirkpatrick belted a pair of home runs and accounted for three RBI as Western Carolina remained perfect on the season, downing Charlotte, 5-3, in nonconference action Tuesday night at Hayes Stadium.

Kirkpatrick additionally made a bare-handed grab on a slow-rolling ground ball, tossing it across the diamond for the final out in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win. He finished 2-for-4 in the win for the Catamounts, which improved to 4-0.

Junior Matt Benedict scattered eight hits while allowing just three runs - two of which were earned - through six and a third to earn the win in the start. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native balanced a pair of walks with two strikeouts to pick up the win. Freshman Mat Batts struck out the lone batter he faced, while set-up man Brandon Johnson fanned three of the four batters he faced in an inning and a third of relief.

Closer Daniel Ottone allowed one hit with one strikeout in earning his second save in four games this season.

Freshman Tyler White opened the scoring for WCU with a solo home run to left field in the second inning for the early, 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Kirkpatrick blasted his first of two long balls with a shot to right-center field for the two-run edge.

Charlotte (1-2) cut the Catamount advantage to one in the third before WCU stretched it back to a three-run edge with a two-spot in the fourth. Ross Heffley walked on five pitches to lead off the frame while White was hit by the second pitch of his at bat to put two one with nobody out. Freshman Cory Cronan executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position.

Matt Johns then singled off the pitchers mound as his fast-moving ground ball was catapulted off the side of the hill out of the reach of Charlotte third baseman, Kevin Gillespie, allowing Heffley to scamper home. Kirkpatrick then drove home his second run of the night with a groundout to his counterpart at third scoring White for the 4-1 edge.

With WCU leading by one, 4-3, Kirkpatrick handed the Catamounts an insurance run with a line drive home run over the left field fence for his second round-tripper of the night and a two-run, 5-3, advantage.

Charlotte had two players post multi-hit games led by first baseman Ryan Rivers with a 2-for-4 showing including a double and two RBI. Cory Shaylor also finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Starter Tim Lysaught was saddled with the loss after being chased after three and a third, allowing four earned runs on two hits with a walk against four strikeouts. Reliever Kelly McLain also threw three and a third, scattering three hits and striking out five in scoreless relief to keep the 49ers close in the middle innings.

Western Carolina returns home for a three-game set against Eastern Kentucky, the alma mater of Catamount skipper Bobby Moranda. The two squads played a five-hour marathon game a season ago with WCU edging out a one-run, 24-23, win over the Colonels. 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.

Weekend Schedule Note: Western Carolina will play at 4:00 pm on Friday, with Saturday's game moved to 1:00 pm, and the series finale at 2:00 pm on Sunday.

Post-Game Notes:
- Western Carolina has opened 4-0 for the second-straight season after sweeping Gardner-Webb and downing Charlotte on the road ... a year ago, the Catamounts took the opening three home games over Bowling Green before winning one against No. 24 USC before dropping game two of the three-game set with the Trojans;

- Western Carolina is vying for its best-start according to available records ... WCU has never opened a season 5-0 ... The Catamounts opened 1981 and again in 2009 at 5-1 through six games, and have thrice started 4-1 in 1969, 1998 and 2002;

- The Catamounts improved to 9-6 all-time against Charlotte, winning their fifth-straight in the head-to-head series;

- WCU has led off an inning with a home run three times through the first four games this season ... Of the three lead-off home runs, two have been by freshman Tyler White;