May 21, 2011

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Junior Ross Heffley ignited a four-run bottom of the eighth inning with a solo home run to left field as Western Carolina completed the three-game Southern Conference series sweep over The Citadel with a 12-8 victory Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

The sweep was WCU's first against a conference foe this season, while also marking the Catamounts' first over The Citadel since 2008. The Citadel closed the season with a 12-game losing skid, tying a school-record established back in 1967.

Winners of three-straight, Western Carolina (22-29-1, 12-18 SoCon) will be seeded eighth in next week's SoCon Tournament at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C. The Catamounts will face top-seeded Elon at approximately 5 pm on Wednesday, May 25. Each game WCU plays in the SoCon Tournament will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard online at www.CatamountSports.com.

Western Carolina spotted the Bulldogs a four-run lead in the top of the first inning, and trailed 5-2 before tying the game with a three-run home half of the fifth and again scoring three in the sixth. However, The Citadel responded with a three-spot in the top of the seventh to again tie the game before Heffley's round-tripper broke the deadlock in the four-run frame.

Senior Andrew Chilcoat (2-0) earned the victory out of the Catamount bullpen, surrendering just one unearned run while scattering four base hits in two and two thirds innings. The White Hall, Md., native struck out one in the relief effort, matching his career-high for seasonal victories at WCU.

Junior Cameron Dullnig tossed five and a third solid innings in spelling starter Vance Chavis, who was touched up for four runs - only three of which were earned - on four hits, lasting an inning with a strikeout. Dullnig fanned four against four walks, giving up three runs during his stint on the hill.

The Citadel, which will miss the SoCon tournament for the first time since it moved to Charleston, S.C., was fast out of the gates in the regular season finale for both teams. Capitalizing on a single and stolen base, Nick Orvin scored the game's first run as Matt Simonelli hit the first of consecutive doubles with William Ladd plating the second run on the second two-bagger. Justin Mackert handed the Bulldogs a three-run lead on an RBI single up the middle before swiping both second and third base, scoring on a throwing error on an errant throw to third for a 4-0 Bulldog lead.

The Catamounts chipped away at the lead with solo runs in the bottom of the first and second innings as Austin Schultz scored on a sacrifice fly by Heffley after leading off the first with a double. Freshman Adam Martin provided the second run on a two-out, solo home run to left field in the home portion of the second inning to trim the deficit to two, 4-2.

After The Citadel scored on a wild pitch in the third inning to pull out to a three-run, 5-2 lead, Western Carolina pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to seize momentum in the game. Freshman Macon Smith delivered the WCU's second home run of the game to claw back within two before two reached on back-to-back, two-out walks to Stephen Notaro and Johns.

With runners at first and second, Tyler White then laced a single off the first baseman's mitt allowing Notaro to beat a throw home to score. Then, with White nearly being picked off at first, Johns made a heady base running maneuver by inching his way home before ultimately swiping the plate just ahead of a throw home for the third run, knotting the game at five apiece.

An inning later, Notaro was plunked with the bases loaded to drive in a go-ahead run with White again striking with an RBI base knock, doubling down the right field line to score two more in handing WCU an 8-5 lead through six.

White, one of five Catamounts to record multi-hit games, finished 4-for-5 with three RBI in the winning effort.

The Bulldogs would not go away, though, answering WCU's go-ahead, three-spot with three of their own in the top of the seventh. After fanning the lead-off batter, Dullnig hit Orvin before walking Drew DeKerlegand, ending his relief stint on the mound. Chilcoat surrendered consecutive singles to Simonelli and Ladd as The Citadel whittled the lead down to one. The Citadel tied the game at eight on a WCU failed double-play attempt that would have otherwise ended the frame.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Heffley blasted a 0-2 fastball over the fence in left field to give the Catamounts all the runs they would effectively need with a 9-8 lead. WCU tacked on three more runs in the inning, loaded the bases on three-straight singles off reliever T.J. Clarkson with freshman Dykota Spiess driving in a run on a bases loaded walk. A wild pitch allowed the third run to scamper home in the form of Johns, while Aaron Attaway singled through the left side to score the final run of the game, plating White for the 12-8 margin.

In addition to White's strong day at the plate, Heffley and Notaro finished 2-for-3 with Heffley hitting his team-leading 10th home run of the season

Bulldog reliever Logan Cribb was saddled with the loss after surrendering the long ball to Heffley during his two innings of work. He was one of four relievers used behind starter Austin Pritcher who gave up five runs on 10 hits in four and two thirds innings of work. Pritcher pitched around two walks with three strikeouts.

Offensively for The Citadel (20-36, 8-22 SoCon), Ladd finished 3-for-4 with three RBI while Simonelli was 2-for-4 with a double. The duo accounted for half of the Bulldogs' 10 hits while the Catamounts banged out 16 hits in the win.