Final Stats |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina outslugged long-time rival Appalachian State on Tuesday evening, using a nine-run third inning to jumpstart the Catamounts to an 18-15 victory at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in the front-end of a midweek nonconference home-and-home.

The win was WCU's fourth-straight over the Mountaineers, which left for the Sun Belt conference after the 2014 season. Tuesday's game was the first between the two in nonconference play since WCU joined ASU in the Southern Conference in 1976.

Senior infielder Bradley headlined five Catamounts with multi-hit games by going 3-for-6 with a pair of singles and a three-run homerun. Strong matched his career-high with six RBI, tying his previous career-best also set against Appalachian State in the 2014 season. Outfielder Kramer Ferrell match Strong with a 3-for-6 performance, tallying a single and two doubles, driving in one run and scoring three.

Freshman Caleb Robinson and junior Garrett Brown both finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored in the home victory.

Sophomore Matt Smith reached three times, driving home two on a hit streak-extending double, while freshman Brett Pope reached base four times on walks, scoring twice. Freshman catcher Spencer Holcomb finished 1-for-3 with a perfectly placed popped double that found grass down the left field line. He drove home a pair of runs, one on a HBP and the second on a sacrifice fly.

Appalachian State grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning only to see the Catamounts answer in the home portion of the frame with four runs. The Mountaineers reclaimed the lead in the top of the third with a three-spot to lead 5-4 after two and a half.

Western Carolina (17-19) took a lead it would never relinquish with nine runs in the home half of the third inning. The Catamounts pushed across the nine markers on six hits, capitalizing on a Mountaineer error to keep the rally going. Ferrell doubled twice - driving in in a run on his second two-base hit - with Bradley Strong and Matt Smith driving in two apiece on a single and double, respectively. Reece Strong capped the rally with a RBI single.

The younger Strong brother finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and the RBI.

The Mountaineers responded with six runs in the top of the fourth inning to trim the margin back to two, 13-11, in the fourth with WCU getting three back on the three-run home run by Bradley Strong to make it 16-11 after four.

Appalachian State (11-29) scored four runs over the final five frames including two in the ninth, with the Catamounts tacking on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh on an error and a sacrifice fly by Spencer Holcomb.

Freshman reliever Dylan Biumi (1-0) was WCU's most effective reliever, scoring his first victory out of the bullpen. The Cumming, Ga., native tossed three and a third in relief, surrendering just two runs - one earned - on three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Classmate Brendan Nail tossed an inning and two thirds with three strikeouts against three walks, allowing five runs on six hits. Junior Taylor Durand tossed the final inning, allowing one run with a walk and a strikeout.

WCU redshirt sophomore Dillon Bray tossed a career-long three innings in the start, fanning a career-high five including the first three batters to start Tuesday's game. Bray allowed seven runs - five earned - on just four hits, walking five with a pair of hit batters.

Appalachian State starter Reed Howell (1-3) took the loss, allowing nine runs, only four of which were earned, on seven hits with a walk. He was the first of five Mountaineers to pitch, recording the longest outing.

Five Mountaineers also finished with multi-hit games with Drake Zupcic leading the way with a trio of singles in a 3-for-4 outing, both scoring and driving in three runs. Michael Pierson scored three times on a 2-for-5 day. Also collecting two hits for ASU were Brandon Burris (2-for-6), Dillon Dobson (2-for-5) and Brian Bauk (2-for-4).

Western Carolina and Appalachian State play the return game of the home-and-home on Wednesday night in Boone, N.C. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm. The game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with live streaming audio through CatamountSports.com.