Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Sophomore Matt Smith drove home the game-winning run with a RBI single through the right side on the first pitch of his at bat, capping a two-run eighth inning rally as Western Carolina edged Kennesaw State, 5-4, Wednesday evening in nonconference baseball action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

Trailing by a run entering the bottom of the eighth, WCU (8-9) loaded the bases with nobody out before scoring the tying run on an infield ground out. Smith drove home the winning run with one out as the Catamounts claimed the meeting between preseason favorites from their respective conferences - WCU in the Southern and Kennesaw State in the Atlantic Sun.

Freshman Caleb Robinson opened the frame with a solid single to center field before redshirt junior Austin Atwell coaxed a walk on six pitches, looking to sacrifice Robinson over early in the at bat. Freshman Matthew Koehler, making his first career start in the outfield, was plunked by the second pitch of his at bat to load the bases for WCU. Senior Bradley Strong then beat out a play at first on a fielder's choice as Kennesaw State tried for the double-play in the middle of the infield, allowing Robinson to scamper home with the tying run.

Then, with runners at the corners, Smith smacked the first pitch he saw through the gap on the right side of the infield to plate Atwell with the go-ahead marker.

In the ninth, Western Carolina turned the ball over to its senior closer Tyler Powell, who worked around a two-out walk to secure his fourth save of the season. For Powell, the save was the 19th of his four-year career, moving him into a tie for fifth all-time in the WCU school record books matching former Catamount reliever - and current Kansas City Royals All-Star closer, Greg Holland (19, 2005-07).

Four Catamounts finished with two-hits apiece in the victory for WCU. Smith finished 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI with freshman Brett Pope finishing 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Smith has now reached in nine-consecutive games. Bradley Strong stretched his consecutive reached streak to 31-straight games dating back to last season with a 2-for-5 showing. Strong has hits in his last four games - and 30 of his past 31 games dating back to last season.

Junior catcher Danny Bermudez rounded out WCU's two-hit performances in the win, opening scoring with his fourth home run of the season. The Cumming, Ga., native lined one over the "Purple Monster" in left field in the first inning to give the Catamounts an early lead, 1-0.

WCU stretched its advantage in the home half of the fourth inning as redshirt junior Garrett Brown was hit by a pitch to start a two-out rally. The speedy Brown swiped second base to move into scoring position ahead of Koehler who singled deep in the hole at short, registering his first collegiate base hit. Strong then reached on an infield error on the would-be third out of the inning allowing Brown to cross the dish with the unearned marker giving the home squad a 2-0 lead.

Kennesaw State (9-10) hung three on the board in the fifth inning to erase Western Carolina's advantage and take a one-run lead. First baseman Colin Bennett singled to open the frame ahead of catcher Griffin Helms who tripled to the gap in right center, chasing Bennett around the bases and to the plate with the Owls' first run. Helms came on home to tie the game on an infield ground out to make it 2-2. KSU's ninth batter in the lineup Corey Greeson doubled to left center and later scored on WCU's lone error of the night to push the visitors ahead, 3-2.

The lead was short-lived, though, as Bermudez pushed a hot-shot past third to reach on his second hit of the day before swiping one of WCU's eight stolen bases on the night. Bermudez was later able to rumble home as Pope dropped a single down the left field line to deadlock the game, 3-3.

Bermudez, Strong and Smith each had two stolen bases in the victory with Pope and Brown adding the final two.

The game remained tied until the decisive eighth inning. Kennesaw State reclaimed its one-run edge in the visitor portion of the frame as shortstop Kal Simmons drew a five-pitch walk before taking second on a wild pitch. The errant toss foreshadowed events to play out in the frame as Simmons, who move to third on an infield bunt single by Chris Erwin, would later plate the go-ahead marker on a second wild pitch to make it 4-3, and ultimately set-up WCU's heroics in the bottom of the frame.

Five pitchers took the mound for Western Carolina with reliever Korey Anderson (1-2) earning the victory out of the bullpen. The Grayson, Ga., native walked one with a strikeout in an inning of work despite allowing an inherited runner to score on the eighth-inning wild pitch. Anderson has 12 Ks in his last three appearances for WCU over the past week.

Freshman Corey Sikes tossed a career-long 4.2 innings in his first collegiate start - and was nearly through the fifth, exiting the game with two strikes on the would-be third out. The Monroe, N.C., product struck out a career-high tying four, surrendering three runs - two earned - on just four hits without issuing a walk. Junior Jonathan Waszak struck out two with one walk in an inning and a third out of the pen with classmate Taylor Durand tagged for one run in an inning of work with one hit, a walk and a strikeout.

For Kennesaw State, Bennett finished 2-for-2 with a run scored before being lifted with the catcher, Helms, finishing 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Reliever Jordan Versteeg (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing two earned runs on one hit with a walk without recording an official out in the appearance.

Wednesday's game was the fourth, one-run game in the 16-game series between WCU and Kennesaw State - and the second in the past three meetings including last year's 4-3 road loss in 12 innings.

Western Carolina hits the road this weekend to open Southern Conference play, visiting UNCG (7-11) for a third-consecutive season. The Catamounts claimed the three-game set a year ago at UNCG's on-campus baseball facility, earning a pair of one-run victories including one in extra innings. All told, last season's three-games were decided by four combined runs.

WCU has won six-straight over UNCG in the last two seasons, with the Catamounts claiming eight of the last nine head-to-head meetings overall.

First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:00 pm. Each game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with live streaming audio through CatamountSports.com. Fans can also follow the games with live, free video through the SoCon Digital Network.