Box Score

Johnson City, Tenn. - Western Carolina scored both of its runs on solo home runs by Jason Smith and Pierce Suttles, but could not overcome the complete-game effort of East Tennessee State starter Griffin Krieg as the Catamounts dropped their Southern Conference series opener, 3-2, Friday night at Thomas Stadium.

Smith led off the third inning with a game-tying home run over the fence in right center field with Suttles belting his first career round-tripper on a mammoth blast over the left field wall in the eighth inning to provide WCU's scoring.

ETSU (15-26, 4-9 SoCon) scored the go-ahead and ultimately the game-winning run in a two-run seventh inning with both runs scoring on the same play. With the bases loaded, Jordan Sanford came home on a wild pitch that rolled away at the dish with the throw bouncing off the Buccaneer runner allowing the second marker to score on the error and a 3-1 edge.

The Buccaneers - who snapped a seven-game losing skid with the victory - took an early lead in the first inning as Jeremy Taylor worked a lead-off walk, moving around the diamond with a stolen base and a deep fly ball out to put him at third. Taylor came home on an infield ground out by Trey York to give the home squad the lead before Smith's long ball knotted the game at one.

After the two-run seventh, Suttles delivered the pinch hit homer to close back to within a run at 3-2. But WCU would get no closer as Krieg (2-5) held the potent Catamount offense at bay for the complete game, scattering the five hits over nine innings. Krieg, who tallied his first career complete game, struck out five while walking just one on the night.

Western Carolina (17-21, 8-8 SoCon) was led by freshman Brett Pope who collected the game's lone multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 performance with a single and a double. Redshirt junior outfielder Kramer Ferrell extended his current hit streak to six games with a single into right field while Reece Strong extended his active reached-base safely streak to 13 by drawing a walk.

Sophomore B.J. Nobles (4-2) was the tough-luck loser for the Catamounts, allowing three runs - only two of which were earned - on just two hits in six and a third innings. The Raleigh, N.C., product struck out four with five walks. Junior Taylor Durand tossed a third of an inning, getting a ground ball out with a walk. Freshman Dylan Biumi fanned two in an inning and a third of hitless, scoreless relief. The freshman RHP has five Ks in his last three outings.

All told, Catamount pitching held ETSU to a season-low, two hits.

Sanford and infielder Chris Cook collected the only two hits of the game for the Bucs, both singles off of starter Nobles.

Game two is scheduled for a 2:05 pm first pitch on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard online at CatamountSports.com.