April 30, 2011

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Freshman Adam Martin gave Western Carolina its first of two leads on Saturday afternoon with his first career grand slam home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, costly Catamount errors and timely hitting led San Diego State to an 11-5 victory in nonconference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

The Aztecs scored seven-unanswered runs in the final three innings for the victory.

The final game of the nonconference series is scheduled for Sunday morning with a special 11:00 am start time. WCU is scheduled to start sophomore Preston Hatcher against Bryan Crabb for the Aztecs.

Both starting pitchers worked six and a third innings on the afternoon with SDSU's Cole Swanson (3-1) allowing five earned runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts and two walks. Catamount starter Jordan Smith (5-5) fanned six while allowing six runs - only three of which were earned - on seven base hits in suffering the loss.

WCU used five different relievers, three of which recording strikeouts. Andrew Blackwell was in the game the longest, tossing one full inning while allowing three runs on two hits. Aztec reliever Mike Hacadorian struck out four in two and two thirds innings of work to pick up his first save of the season.

Behind a run after the top of the fourth, WCU grabbed the lead with a bang in the bottom of the inning. With two aboard after a single from Matt Johns and Stephen Notaro reaching on a fielder's choice, sophomore Tyler White fought for a nine-pitch walk to load the bases. Martin then belted a 1-2 fast ball over the "Purple Monster" in left field for his fourth home run of the season and the first grand slam of his career.

The lead was short-lived, though, as SDSU plated three runs in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at four apiece. After a lead-off walk to Cody Slader, an infield throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Evan Potter scooted down the right field line allowing Slader to score from first and put Potter at third. An infield single by Cody Smith allowed the second run of the frame to score with a sacrifice bunt moving Smith to second. Brandon Meredith, who finished 4-for-4, drove in one of his three with a single through the left side to knot the game.

WCU (17-23-1) reclaimed the advantage in the bottom of the fifth as Austin Schultz doubled to left center and was driven in on a RBI single to left field by Ross Heffley. Johns singled up the middle and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position but the Catamounts were unable to add any insurance runs, leading 5-4 through five complete.

Johns led four Catamounts with multi-hit games posting a 3-for-4 outing. Schultz, Heffley and Attaway all finished 2-for-4 for WCU with Martin driving in a game-high four runs.

In the seventh, San Diego State pushed across four runs to seize control of the game. Two, one-out base hits and a walk loaded the bases for the Aztecs with WCU reliever Andrew Chilcoat getting a fly-ball out to left field for the second out. However, an infield error allowed the inning to continue while also scoring a run. The second marker touched the plate on a wild pitch with Dillon Bryant doubling home the final two runs of the inning.

The Aztecs scored twice in the eighth and once in the ninth to provide the finally tally.