Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - For a second-straight night UNC Asheville scored runs in bunches, jumping out to a 7-0 advantage through the first three frames before holding off the home-standing Catamounts latter-inning rally to upend Western Carolina, 13-8, in the back-end of a nonconference home-and-home at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.

With the loss, WCU drops to 18-24 overall on the season while UNCA, which swept the Catamounts for the first-time since 2011, improved to 20-26 overall.

Junior Kramer Ferrell paced the Catamounts with a career-high four hits in a 4-for-5 outing including a pair of doubles, matching his most in a single-game for the Purple & Gold. The Ellensburg, Wash., native scored a team-high three runs and drove in one. Redshirt freshman Pierce Suttles likewise turned in a career-best performance, finishing 3-for-4 with career-highs in two doubles and three runs driven in.

Sophomore Matt Smith collected two hits with a single and a double, with junior Reece Strong drawing a game-high three walks. Senior Bradley Strong hit his third home run in the past two games with a two-run bullet over the fence in right field during WCU's middle-inning rally.

Trailing 11-to-1 after five and a half innings, Western Carolina mounted a rally to close to within four with six runs between the sixth and seventh innings. Suttles drove home Ferrell for the first run in the sixth with freshman Caleb Robinson collecting his first career triple in a pinch hit role to make it 11-3.

In the seventh, Smith opened the rally with a one-out single to right field to be aboard for Strong's seventh home run of the season, trimming the deficit to 11-5. The Catamounts managed to load the bases with Suttles drawing a run-scoring walk with Robinson collecting his second RBI of the day on an infield groundout to make it 11-6 through seven innings.

However, UNCA produced single runs in both the top of the eighth and ninth innings to keep the Catamounts at arm's length and prevent the home rally.

Sophomore starter Bryan Sammons (3-4) took the loss after surrendering seven runs - only four of which were earned - on six hits with four strikeouts against two walks. Classmate Korey Anderson also fanned four with five walks in three innings of relief action, giving up three runs on three hits before giving way to freshman Corey Sikes for an inning on one-run, two-hit relief.

Senior closer Tyler Powell tossed two innings out of the bullpen, striking out five while allowing a run on three hits. Junior Taylor Durand and freshman Dylan Biumi combined to toss the ninth inning with the latter tallying his third of an inning on a strikeout.

All told, Catamount pitching recorded a combined 14 strikeouts against nine walks. WCU committed four errors defensively while the Bulldogs had three. UNCA stranded 16 runners on base with the Catamounts leaving 10 on the base paths.

UNCA starter Jordan Fullbright (5-1) scored the victory for the visitors, limiting the Catamounts to two runs on six hits in five and a third innings. The left-hander struck out two and issued a pair of walks. Tyler Hughes struck out one but was tagged for five runs on five hits with Adam Spacklin walking the two batters he faced. Closer Nick Schavone just missed the minimum for a three-inning save, tossing 2.2 innings of one-run, one-hit relief with a walk and three strikeouts.

Offensively for the Bulldogs, four players collected multi-hit games including a 4-for-5, four RBI performance by Tommy Houmard who had a triple. Justin Wood collected a pair of RBI on a two-hit day including a solo home run, and Joe Tietjen doubled twice, scoring four runs on the day.

Western Carolina breaks this coming week for final exams, returning to Southern Conference play next weekend with a three-game set in Birmingham, Ala., against the Samford Bulldogs. WCU will also play at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn., as a part of the four-game road swing.