March 26, 2011

Box Score

Davidson, N.C. - Senior right-hander Matt Benedict struck out a career-high 13 as Western Carolina held off the home standing Davidson Wildcats, 2-1, on Friday night in Southern Conference action at Wilson Field. Junior Ross Heffley laced an RBI single up the middle in the top of the sixth inning to score Austin Schultz with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Rain in the weather forecast on Saturday has prompted officials at Davidson have moved the start time of game two to 11:00 am. Be sure to check back to CatamountSports.com OR DavidsonWildcats.com for any further weather-related changes.

Benedict (1-1) established a career-high with 13 strikeouts, by-passing his previous benchmark of eight set last May against the same Wildcats. The St. Petersburg, Fla., matched a career-long eight innings, scattering Davidson's 11 base hits without issuing a walk. He gave way to Taylor Sandefur in the ninth who struck out one of the four batters he faced, also giving up a single and a walk with two outs.

Senior Andrew Chilcoat was summoned from the bullpen, working through a full-count against Wildcats' lead-off man, Seth Freeman, but struck him out to earn his first save of the year and secure the victory.

All told, WCU's three pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts with just one free pass.

Western Carolina (9-10-1, 1-6 SoCon) scratched the scoreboard first as freshman Aaron Attaway doubled down the right field line to open the third inning. Schultz grounded out to the right side of the infield to allow Attaway to reach third with Matt Johns driving in the game's first run on a single to left field.

Two innings later, Davidson knotted the game with a single run in the home portion of the fourth inning as a pair of doubles sandwiched around a strikeout tied the game, 1-1. Drew Gadaire legged out his second two-bagger of the game before Andrew Barna's one-out RBI double to left field gave the Wildcats their lone run.

Gadaire finished 3-for-4 with two doubles while Kelly Myers was also 3-for-4 with a double. Barna's two hits were both two-baggers, posting a 2-for-4 showing for Davidson.

The game remained tied until the top of the sixth inning when Schultz drew a lead-off walk and promptly stole second, his second theft of the game. Heffley then drove the fourth pitch of his at bat up the middle allowing Schultz to race home for the 2-1 lead.

WCU had several opportunities to add to the lead in the latter innings, loading the bases with just one out after back-to-back base hits to open the frame by freshmen Luke Gragg and Julian Ridings. Attaway sacrificed the two into scoring position where Schultz was intentionally walked to put three aboard. However, a strikeout and a line drive ground out ended the threat.

Ridings finished 2-for-4 while Johns was 2-for-5 with an RBI to lead the Catamounts offensively. Schultz was 1-for-3 with two walks as seven different players tallied base hits.

Benedict and the Catamounts likewise pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh as Davidson (10-11, 4-5 SoCon) put two aboard, moving runners to the corners with two outs. However, Benedict was able to strikeout Forrest Brandt to maintain the lead.

Davidson's Chris Lamb (1-3) took the loss after giving up the two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts against two walks - just the seventh and eighth free pass issued by the left-hander on the season. Reliever Mike Frongello tossed the final three innings of scoreless relief, working around a walk and two hits with three strikeouts. He stranded six Catamount base runners including pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning.