Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Under steady and persistent rain showers that peppered the ballpark at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium, the Western Carolina Catamounts used a nine-run sixth inning to claim its Southern Conference baseball series opener against the Furman Paladins, 14-4, on Friday evening.

WCU's victory snapped a three-game slide to Furman in the head-to-head series dating back to last season. Friday also marked the second-straight SoCon game that the Catamounts played in the rain as the Catamounts dropped the series finale at league-leading Mercer last Sunday during rain showers in Macon, Ga.

With unfavorable weather forecasts for Sunday, the Catamounts and Paladins are scheduled to wrap-up the three-game SoCon series on Saturday with a double-header beginning at 11:00 am. Game three will start approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of game two.

Sophomore Matt Smith continued his hot hitting streak, leading five Catamounts with multi-hit games in the victory with a 3-for-5 showing at the dish including his eighth double of the season. The Fredricktown, Ohio, native drove in one while also scoring once. Senior Bradley Strong doubled twice in a 2-for-5, three-run outing in the victory while freshman Brett Pope drove home a game-high tying three on a 2-for-4 performance.

The big swing of the night came from redshirt sophomore Jason Smith. The Kernersville, N.C., product carried the center field batter's eye for a three-run home run, the first of his collegiate career.

Sophomore RHP B.J. Nobles (4-1) picked up the victory for the Catamounts, limiting the Paladins to just four hits over seven innings with one run allowed on a bases loaded walk in the seventh inning. The Raleigh, N.C., product struck out seven against six walks. Nobles and his defense set the tone early, shutting down a bases loaded jam in the top of the first inning without allowing a run. In the third, the Paladins got their lead-off man to third on a single and two-base error, but were held off the scoreboard.

Freshman Corey Sikes was tagged with three earned runs on four hits in a third of a frame before classmate Dylan Biumi worked an inning and two-thirds of hitless, scoreless relief with a strikeout.

Western Carolina (16-17, 8-5 SoCon) capitalized on three hits and an error in the home portion of the opening frame to take a 2-0 lead. Strong reached on an error before eventually scoring from second base on a RBI single through the right side by Bermudez. Two batters later, Pope drove home the second marker on a RBI single into left-center field, driving Bermudez home.

The Catamounts tacked on a third run in the third inning as Strong laced a two-out double to left field before scoring on a single to center by Matt Smith.

WCU broke the game open in the sixth inning as all nine players in the lineup recorded runs in the frame. Bradley Strong opened scoring by doubling home his younger brother, Reece Strong, before Austin Atwell plated two on a one-out single through the right side. Matt Smith doubled to left field before Bermudez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Atwell came home on a wild pitch to score the fourth run before Ferrell was put on base on four-straight to again load the bags. Pope then singled up the middle to score two with Jason Smith's three-run bomb capped the rally.

Furman (16-20, 5-8 SoCon) loaded the bases for a second-time in the game in the seventh inning with Griffin Davis drawing a walk to score the Paladins' first run. In the eighth, Furman used four-straight hits including a pinch hit double by Landon Kay and a second-consecutive two-base, run-scoring hit by Andrew MacLatchie to score another run. Ryan Morse then belted a two-run home run over the fence in right field.

WCU capped scoring in the bottom of the eighth as Kramer Ferrell drove home a run with the game's final run crossing the dish on an infield double play, providing the final tally at 14-4.

Furman starter Matt Solter (2-3) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs - five earned - on nine hits before being chased in the sixth inning after five and a third on the hill. Solter struck out five while walking four. Three Paladin pitchers combined to toss the final two and two thirds with Harry Norman saddled with five runs on three hits and Nolan Mullen surrendering a pair of markers.

Sims Griffith collected two hits to lead Furman with Morse driving in two of the team's four runs on the homer.

Game two is scheduled for an 11:00 am start on Saturday in Cullowhee.