Box Score

Johnson City, Tenn. - East Tennessee State scored eight runs between the sixth and eighth innings on Sunday afternoon to rally past Western Carolina, taking the three-game Southern Conference series with a 10-7 victory at Thomas Stadium. The Buccaneers used a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift them to the game and series win.

With the loss, Western Carolina drops to 18-22 overall and 9-9 in the SoCon race while ETSU improved to 16-27 overall, 5-10 in league play.

Five Catamounts finished with multi-hit games, each collecting two hits apiece. Senior Bradley Strong finished 2-for-5 with a home run and a stolen base with fellow captain Danny Bermudez also going 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI. Kramer Ferrell likewise finished 2-for-5 with a pair of singles, while freshman centerfielder Matthew Koehler tallied a two-hit performance at 2-for-4, adding a stolen base.

Junior Reece Strong finished 2-for-3 with a RBI on a sacrifice fly, extending his reached base safely streak to 15-consecutive games.

Western Carolina jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first three innings on Sunday afternoon. Bradley Strong scored the game's first run, reaching on his first base hit of the series and promptly stealing second. Strong raced home on the RBI single down the right field line by Bermudez for the 1-0 lead.

WCU's scoring continued in the second and third innings with two markers in both frames. With Pierce Suttles and Koehler at second and third, Bradley Strong laced a hot-shot down the first base line that rattled around in the right field corner allowing both runs to score making it 3-0. In the third, consecutive run-scoring doubles by Jason Smith and Suttles stretched the Catamount advantage to 5-0.

ETSU responded in the home half of the third inning with two runs scoring - one on a RBI single by Jeremy Taylor and the latter crossing the plate from third base while WCU turned a double-play along the middle of the diamond, trimming the deficit back to three, 5-2.

Reece Strong plated Bermudez in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly to right centerfield to hand the Catamounts a 6-2 edge. However, the Bucs struck for four runs in the home half of the sixth to knot the game at six apiece. ETSU loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a bases-loading walk before right fielder Zach Thompson snuck a triple past a diving Jason Smith at first base to make it 6-5. Thompson crossed the dish with the game-tying marker on a RBI single into left field to make it 6-6.

Bradley Strong briefly untied the game with a solo home run over the fence in right center field. The long ball was his fourth of the year - and the sixth round-tripper for WCU in the weekend series.

Trailing 7-6 in the bottom of the frame, ETSU's Kevin Phillips lifted a one-out double to right center before catcher Hagen Owenby drew a walk to put two aboard ahead of Jordan Sanford who belted a three-run home run to left for ETSU's first lead of the day. The Bucs added an insurance run in the eighth to provide the final tally.

ETSU reliever - and starting shortstop - Chris Cook struck out the final four Catamount batters he faced to earn his first save for winning pitcher Connor Bartow (1-0). Bartow scattered three hits over an inning and a third of scoreless relief for ETSU. Freshman starter Ryan Simpler was knocked out of the game after three innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

For the Catamounts, sophomore starter Korey Anderson factored in the no-decision, striking out seven through five and a third innings on the mound. The Grayson, Ga., native allowed six runs on eight hits, battling into the sixth inning for the Catamounts. Freshman Brendan Nail struck out two in an inning of one-run, one-hit relief.

Freshman Dylan Biumi (1-1) took the loss for WCU, tagged with two runs on one hit allowed - the seventh inning three-run home run. Junior Taylor Durand allowed a run with a walk and a strikeout while classmate Colton Davis accounted for two thirds of an inning pitched, striking out one with one hit allowed.

Every ETSU starter had at least one hit on Sunday with Thompson and Bailey leading the way with 2-for-4 outings. Thompson and Sanford paced the Bucs, both with three RBI.

Western Carolina's schedule is idle until a nonconference home-and-home with mountain-rival UNC Asheville May 1-2. The two play at UNCA's Greenwood Field on May 1 before the return match at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium on May 2 with first pitch both day s at 6:00 pm.