Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Sophomore left fielder Courtney Price hit the first grand-slam of her career, ending the game in six innings, as Western Carolina softball (4-6) defeated Ohio (4-8) 12-1 Tuesday in its home opener at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Scheduled as a double-header, the two teams agreed to just one game as a majority of the Ohio Bobcat team was suffering from the flu. It turned out to be a fortuitous decision as the final inning and a half of the game was plagued by a steady rain that would have probably cancelled game two anyway.

Senior pitcher Jordan Garrett dealt a season-high 12 strikeouts allowing one run on two hits and improves to 3-3 on the season.

Western Carolina jumped on Ohio early exploding for five runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman designated player Abigail Daniels led off with a single and Victoria Mariscal drew a walk. With runners on first and second, Kara Salvo hit an RBI double past the shortstop scoring Daniels. Taylor Sigmon followed with an RBI groundout to plate Mariscal. Runners were on the corners when Courtney Price was hit by a pitch and Salvo was on first. Crystal Cyr hit the second RBI ground out of the inning when she ground out to third base and Salvo scored after Price stole second. Price scored on an RBI single by Heather Chastain and Chastain scored when Karley Harkey singled and an Ohio error in right field allowing Chastain to go home.

Ohio avoided the shutout when Mikayla Cooper hit a solo homerun in the fourth inning. Western Carolina scored in the fifth and sixth innings to shorten the game.

Salvo led off the fifth with a single up the middle and Kassandra Flores came into pinch run for Salvo. Sigmon followed with a two RBi homerun that just jumped over the lip of the outfield wall also scoring Flores. It was Sigmon's first homerun of the season. The Catamounts called on the double steal for the third run of the fifth inning. Price doubled and moved to third on a groundout. Emily Helton drew a walk, coming in to play third base when Salvo replaced Chastain at the plate. Price and Helton enacted the double steal scoring Price.

The rain began to fall heavily in the bottom in the top of the sixth inning. After notching two strikeouts, Garrett gave up a pair of walks to Ohio. However, Garrett barred down and struck out the final Bobcat batter to end the top of the sixth. Shaking off the rain, Western Carolina gritted through the inclement weather. With one out, Mariscal singled up the middle. Back-to-back walks by Salvo and Sigmon loaded the bases setting up Price's grand-slam homerun to end the game.

Ohio's Leanna Bachman took the loss falling to 1-1 on the season.

Western Carolina had a season-high 12 runs and tied its season-high with 10 hits. Price led the team going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. Mariscal, Salvo and Sigmon each had a pair of hits. The Catamounts head back on the road Wednesday to play a doubleheader at USC Upstate. First game of the doubleheader begins at 4 p.m.