Box Score

Cookeville, Tenn. - Western Carolina scored all 11 of its runs in a three-inning span on Monday evening, highlighted by a pair of five-run frames as the Catamounts cruised to an 11-4 road victory over Tennessee Tech in nonconference baseball action at Bush Stadium.

WCU scored its 20th victory of the season, improving to 20-26 overall, while Tennessee Tech dropped a game below .500 at 24-25 in 2015.

Senior Bradley Strong paced the Catamounts with a 3-for-4 outing, tallying a pair of singles and a double at the plate. The Richlands, Va., native scored twice and drove home two runs. Strong also swiped his 20th bag of the season to move into sole possession of second all-time in WCU's career ledgers with 65 career stolen bases. He additionally moved into a tie for 11th in record books with his 55th career double.

Junior outfielder Kramer Ferrell stayed hot for WCU, collecting a pair of singles in a 2-for-4 performance, also with two RBI - one coming on a sacrifice fly. Freshman catcher Spencer Holcomb plated a team-leading, career-high three runs on a 1-for-3 outing. The Pfafftown, N.C., product drove home one on a sacrifice fly and two on a fifth-inning double.

While WCU's offense erupted for 11 runs on 10 hits, a pair of left-handers kept the Golden Eagles off-balance in the winning effort. Redshirt sophomore southpaw Dillon Bray (1-1) tossed a career-high 6.1 innings to earn the victory in the starting role while freshman Corey Sikes just missed the minimum for a three-inning save with two and a two-thirds in relief. Bray struck out four against four walks, allowing just four runs - only one earned - scattering seven base hits. Sikes held the home squad scoreless, surrendering just one hit with a strikeout.

Western Carolina fell behind 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning as the Golden Eagles scored three unearned runs to lead after two complete. The deficit was short-lived, though, as WCU responded in the top of the third to take a lead it would never relinquish.

Back-to-back walks to Matt Smith and Danny Bermudez put two aboard before three-consecutive, run-scoring singles by Strong, Ferrell and freshman Brett Pope evened the game at three. Consecutive HBPs to Pierce Suttles and Matthew Koehler - the second driving in the go-ahead run - was followed by Holcomb's sacrifice fly to cap scoring leaving WCU with a 5-3 advantage.

Strong crossed the dish with WCU's sixth marker of the day, reaching on a double before stealing third before scoring on Ferrell's sac fly made it 6-3.

Western Carolina seemingly put the game away with a second five-run frame in the fifth, capitalizing on a combined five walks. Holcomb delivered his two-run double after consecutive lead-off walks with Reece Strong sharply singling up the middle to drive in a third run. WCU loaded the bases with two more walks before the fourth run scored on a balk. Bradley Strong then collected his second RBI - and team-leading 51st of the season - on a sacrifice fly to cap the Catamounts' scoring.

Tennessee Tech tacked on a run in the seventh inning on an infield fielder's choice to provide the final tally, 11-4.

The Golden Eagles used six pitchers with starter Austin Tolle (0-3) taking the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in two innings on the hill. He walked three and hit two batters with a strikeout, facing seven batters in the third without recording an out before being lifted. Relievers Cain Sloan and Andrew Barkley were tagged for the final six runs with Sloan striking out two. The final three hurlers - which included two whose primary position is infield - tossed the final five innings in hitless, scoreless relief.

Offensively, Tennessee Tech's David Allen led all hitters with a 4-for-5 outing, collecting four singles and a pair of RBI to lead the home team.

Western Carolina returns home to wrap-up the regular season portion of its 2015 schedule by hosting returning Southern Conference foe, VMI, for a three-game set over two days in Cullowhee. The Catamounts and Keydets are slated to play Thursday evening at 5:00 pm with a conference double-header on Friday with first pitch of game one at 2:00 pm.

WCU will honor its three seniors - Jacob Hoyle, Tyler Powell and Bradley Strong - on Friday in their final home appearance at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.