April 23, 2011

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina freshman right-hander Jordan Smith tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout as the Catamounts evened the best of three Southern Conference series by blanking the Wofford Terriers, 11-0, Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

Celebrating his 19th birthday with his scheduled start, Smith finished just one strikeout shy of matching his career high by fanning eight while only surrendering four singles to the Terriers. Wofford managed a base runner to second on three occasions, but never advanced past. A native of Liberty, N.C., Smith hit one batter and issued three walks, but freshman battery mate Adam Martin caught one stealing and the WCU defense turned a double-play in helping work out of trouble.

Sunday's rubber match is scheduled for a 2:00 pm first pitch. There will be a pre-game Easter Egg Hunt for all children ages 12-and-under beginning at 1:30 pm at the stadium.

While Smith was tossing a gem on the mound, the Catamounts came alive at the plate, pounding out 15 hits including four for extra bases in scoring their fourth shutout victory of the season.

Senior Stephen Notaro put Western Carolina on the board in the home half of the first inning with his first of two hits on the day and the first of three RBI. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native doubled to right field to score Ross Heffley who reached on a one-out single. Two innings later, Notaro again drove in a solo run with a sacrifice fly to left allowing classmate Austin Schultz to tag and score from third for a 2-0 lead.

Western Carolina (15-20-1, 6-14 SoCon) added some distance with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as a two-out infield error by the Terriers allowed two runs to score with Heffley driving in Schultz with an RBI double to left center.

Martin legged out his first career triple to drive in Notaro in the fifth inning while the Catamounts plated five runs in home half of the eighth to cap the scoring. Freshman Macon Smith drove in a run with a single to left center during the frame while Matt Johns tallied an RBI with the second of consecutive walks issued by Terrier pitching. Sophomore Tyler White also doubled home a pair of runs in the frame.

Notaro finished 2-for-3 with the three RBI while both Heffley and freshman shortstop Aaron Attaway matched him with 3-for-4 performances. Heffley doubled and scored twice in the win with Attaway also touching home twice for WCU.

One day after the top of the Terrier line-up finished with nine hits between the first three batters, the Catamounts held the same trio to two hits in a 2-for-10 showing. Wofford's four hits were scattered among four different batters. Lead-off hitter Clark Wise and Landon Bennett both reached twice with singles and walks for the Terriers who dropped to 19-21 overall, 6-11 in SoCon play.

Wofford starter Brandon Yarusi (0-3) took the loss for the Terriers, allowing six runs - only three of which were earned - on 11 hits in four and two-thirds innings, striking out three. Relievers Jesse Morris and Anthony Rowland threw the final two and a third, combining to allow five runs on five hits with five strikeouts against three walks, two issued by Rowland.