March 1, 2011

Box Score

Richmond, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and again in the home half of the seventh inning to upend Western Carolina, 12-8, on Tuesday afternoon at Turkey Hughes Field. Mitch Durbin's pinch hit RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the Colonels the lead for good as WCU stranded four runners in the final three frames.

Game two of the two-game nonconference series is set for 2:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon.

Senior Matt Johns had a break-out game with a 5-for-6 showing at the plate including his first home run of the season. The Stafford, Va., native matched a career-high with a game-best five RBI. Junior infielder Ross Heffley remained steady with a 3-for-5 showing including two doubles to give him six already on the season, with freshman Aaron Attaway also doubling as a part of a 3-for-5 performance.

Western Carolina used seven different pitchers to piece together Tuesday's two-game series opener, none tossing more than two innings. Preston Hatcher (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing two runs - only one of which was earned - on two hits in two innings. Junior left-hander Mike Gaffigan got the starting nod for WCU, lasting two innings after surrendering three runs on five hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.

Colonel third baseman Bryan Soloman finished 5-for-6 with four runs scored and three driven in to lead three EKU players with multi-hit games.

Reliever Greg Terry (1-0) picked up the victory for Eastern Kentucky, shutting the door on the Catamounts in the top of the sixth ahead of Durbin's go-ahead RBI in the home half of the inning. Starter Paul Duncan lasted three just innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with a walk. Reliever Chris Hord struck out four before running into issues in the sixth inning.

Western Carolina (5-3) climbed on top first after a pair of base hits sandwiched around a fly out in the top of the first put two aboard for Johns who delivered a two-RBI single through the left side to score both Austin Schultz and Heffley, who doubled. However, consecutive fly-ball outs left Johns stranded.

EKU answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. Richie Rodriguez singled up the middle before Soloman doubled to right center to score the first run, later scoring on a single by Ryan Faidley. The Colonels loaded the bases before Gaffigan induced a pop-up to Catamount shortstop Aaron Attaway to end the threat.

In the third, the Catamounts again hung a two-spot on the outfield scoreboard as Heffley and Johns both reached on a single before a balk moved the runners both into scoring position. Tyler White was hit by a pitch to load the bases for catcher Stephen Notaro who rapped a single to left field to plate one run. The second run scored as Attaway reached on a fielding error, giving WCU a 4-2 lead.

The Colonels got a run in the home half of the third to close the margin to 4-3 before single runs in the top of both the fourth and fifth innings stretched WCU's lead to 6-3. In the fourth, Cameron Dullnig drew a one-out walk and promptly stole second. The speedster then came home on an RBI single by Johns. An inning later, Attaway doubled and was driven in by Schultz, but the Catamounts left potential runs on the bases, stranding the bases loaded.

Schultz finished 2-for-6 with a run score and one driven in.

Trailing 6-3, EKU exploded for four runs in the fifth, spurred by a home run to left center field by Soloman. Two more consecutive base hits - a double by Sean Hagen and a single by Faidley - chased reliever TJ Page. However, a walk and hit batsman drove in a second inning run, with a ground out and sacrifice fly plating the final two markers, handing EKU a 7-6 lead.

Johns homered in the sixth to knot the game at seven apiece, but Durbin's RBI single put the Colonels ahead for good, 7-6.

Eastern Kentucky (3-4) roughed up WCU reliever Jeremy Sluder for three runs - only one of which was earned - in the seventh inning with each run coming with two outs. Sluder recorded a strikeout and took care of a ground out back to the mound before issuing back-to-back walks to Jacob Daniel and Rodriguez, the latter on four-straight pitches. Soloman delivered an RBI single, chasing Sluder. With the bases loaded, Faidley was hit by a pitch with Michael Garcia capping the two-out rally with a two-RBI single before Morgan McKinney was summoned from the bullpen and was able to end the inning.

The Catamounts added a run in the top of the eighth as Heffley legged out his second double of the game and scored on an RBI single down the left field line by Johns.