Box Score

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Western Carolina softball (5-9) split day two action at the Winthrop Invitational defeating Belmont 4-1 and dropping the second game of the day 4-0 to Albany.

Western Carolina 4, Belmont 1

Western Carolina hit a pair of homeruns and the Catamount pitching staff shut down the Bruins to get the win. The Catamounts had nine hits in the game and didn't commit an error.

Senior pitcher Jordan Garrett got the starting nod and the win improving to 5-4 on the season. Garrett went four innings giving up one run on four hits and struck out five. Junior Mallory Broome tossed two shutout innings allowing one hit and striking out two.

Catamount closer Taylor Sigmon tossed the seventh inning with a three up and three down earning her second save on the season. Sigmon is the Catamount career saves' leader and now has eight in her career.

The Catamounts got on the board first scoring a run second inning. Freshman Emily Helton hit a lead-off tripper, the first in her career. Junior Crystal Cyr's RBI single to center field scored Helton.

It was a double scoring whammy for Western Carolina in the third inning. It all began with a double by sophomore Kara Salvo. Sigmon followed hitting her second homerun on the season, a shot over the left field wall, for the two run shot. It was back-to-back homeruns for the Catamounts' when sophomore Courtney Price followed up Sigmon's homerun with one of her own.

Belmont avoided the shutout when the Bruins' Jessica Wilson hit a homerun in the top of the fourth.

Abigail Daniels and Price each had a pair of hits in the game.

Albany 4, Western Carolina 0

Western Carolina was shut out by Albany in game two of the day. Though both teams ended the game with six hits a-piece, the Great Danes capitalized on scoring chances in the third and fifth innings for the win.

Albany plated a run in the third inning and three in the fifth.

Sophomore pitcher Courtney Buchanan got the starting nod tossing a complete game. She allowed four runs on six hits and struck out five falling to 0-2 on the season.

Western Carolina had its best scoring chance of the game in the sixth inning. Victoria Mariscal picked up a one-out single and moved to second when Salvo was hit by a pitch. After Salvo was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice, Western Carolina had Mariscal at third and Sigmon at first. Price singled down the left field line but Mariscal was thrown out at home to end the Catamount scoring threat.

Western Carolina returns to action Sunday in the final day of the Winthrop Invitational facing Belmont at 10 a.m. and host Winthrop at 2 p.m.