Box Score

Macon, Ga. - Sophomore starter Bryan Sammons led a quartet of Catamount pitchers that combined to toss a five-hit shutout on Saturday as Western Carolina blanked the league-leading Mercer Bears, 3-0, to even the best-of three Southern Conference series at Claude Smith Field.

The series rubber match is scheduled for 1:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. Fans can follow all of the action with Catamount Sports Network coverage beginning at 12:45 pm online at CatamountSports.com.

Sammons (3-3) scattered four hits through six scoreless innings, striking out five to work around seven walks to pick-up the victory for WCU. He was relieved by junior Jonathan Waszak who gave way to freshman Corey Sikes who allowed just one hit in two innings of work to set-up senior closer Tyler Powell.

Powell, a product of Charlotte, N.C., fanned two including one looking to end the game in collecting his sixth save of the year - and the 21st of his career to move into sole possession of third all-time in the WCU career record books.

Sophomore Matt Smith again paced the Catamount offensive attack with multiple hits in his second-consecutive game, tallying a game-high three including two singles and a RBI double in a 3-for-4 performance. Smith has four multi-hit games in his last five outings, and 13 total on the season. He has seven hits in nine plate appearances entering Sunday's finale.

Senior Bradley Strong finished 2-for-4 with a run-scoring double, tallying his team-best 14th multi-hit game. Freshman shortstop Brett Pope tallied his third RBI single in the last two days with a first-inning run-scoring offering into left field.

Seven Catamount hitters combined for WCU's 10 hits in the victory.

Western Carolina (15-15, 7-4 SoCon) got all the runs it would need in the opening frame, lighting the scoreboard twice for the second-straight day. Smith led-off with a single up the middle before moving to second on a Kramer Ferrell ground-out. Strong then drove home Smith from second base as the left-hander pushed a double down the left field line for the 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Pope dropped a run-scoring single into left field to provide the 2-0 start.

The Catamounts would eventually cap scoring in the seventh as Austin Atwell bounced a one-out single down the third base line. Two batters later - and with Atwell moving with the pitch - Smith doubled into left field to plate the insurance marker, providing the final tally at 3-0.

Saturday's game wasn't without drama, though, as Mercer (21-15, 8-3 SoCon) found ways aboard. The Bears twice loaded the bases in the second and seventh innings, but were held off the scoreboard. After a 1-2-3 first inning, Mercer put three runners on with two outs in the second as Danny Edgeworth singled before consecutive walks to Charlie Madden and Nate Moorhouse. However, Sammons got out of the jam by striking out the No. 9 hitter, Trey Truitt, to end the threat.

Sammons again worked out of a jam in the third, stranding runners at the corners with another strikeout, fanning Edgeworth.

Mercer's best chance to get a run came in the seventh inning as the home squad loaded the bases with nobody out. Truitt doubled before back-to-back walks - one attributed to Sammons and the second to Waszak - filled the bases with Bears. Sikes managed to get the first out on a pop-fly to shallow center by Kyle Lewis before inducing a bouncing ball to left-hand side that Reece Strong fielded, dotted the bag at third and threw across for the double-play, ending the inning.

All told, the Catamount pitching staff managed to strand 11 Mercer base runners in the win with WCU's defense turning a pair of double-plays.

Mercer starter Grant Papelian (4-2) took the loss, surrendering all three runs on eight hits through seven innings. After allowing two runs in the opening frame, Papelian settled to retire nine-straight Catamounts as a part of limiting WCU to just two hits between the second and sixth innings. Connor Herd pitched an inning of scoreless relief, allowing two singles in the eighth before Austin Lord and Carter Varga combined to toss a hitless, scoreless ninth.

Five Bears combined for the team's five hits on the day. Lead-off man Matt Meeder reached three times with a pair of walks and a 1-for-3 showing at the plate, while catcher Charlie Madden was also on the base paths three times with a 1-for-2 performance with a pair of walks. Truitt doubled to start the seventh-inning threat for Mercer, finishing 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.

Game three of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm.