Drexel Box Score Savannah State Box Score

The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 8 - Drexel 0 (five innings) / Western Carolina 12 --Savannah State 3 (five innings)
Records: Western Carolina 3-1, Drexel 0-3, Savanah State 1-2
Location: Lady Tiger Stadium -- Savannah, Ga.

SAVANNHA, Ga. - Western Carolina softball swept day two action of the Lady Tiger Classic Saturday, both in five innings, blanking Drexel 8-0 and sinking Savannah State 12-3 at the Lady Tiger Stadium.

Turning Point
Western Carolina scored in three of the four innings played, in the shortened five inning game, including skyrocketing for five runs in the second inning.

How it Happened
- Courtney Price led off the bottom of the first and scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Taylor Sigmon.
- The Catamounts posted five runs on the scoreboard in the second inning spurred by a one out single by freshman Madison Armstrong and four straight walks by Drexel to load the and Kara Salvo walking in a run. Crystal Cyr followed with a two RBI double. On the next play a Dragons' error allowed Salvo and Cyr to score for the fourth and fifth runs.
- In the fourth inning, Amber Kimrey reached first when she motored to the bag after a dropped ball after the third strike. An RBI single by Salvo scored Kimrey. The second throwing error by Drexel, on a third strike, gave Cyr first base and Cyr scored on a Drexel error.
- Drexel did threatened to score in the third inning. In junior pitcher Courtney Buchanan's first inning of relief, she found herself with bases loaded after a single and a pair of walks. Buchanan worked out of the inning by getting a strikeout to end the Dragon threat.

Inside the Box Score
- Sigmon got her first start of the season inside the circle working two innings before Bucnahan came into to pitch the final three. The duo combined for the Catamounts' first shutout of the season. Buchanan took the winning improving to 1-1 on the season.
- In two innings of work, Sigmon gave up one hit and struck out three.
- Buchanan closed out the inning tossing the final three innings allowing one hit, four walks and striking out four. - Salvo and Armstrong each had a pair of hits in the game.
- Western Carolina had 10 hits against Drexel.

Turning Point
With Western Carolina, holding onto a tenuous 3-2 lead after three innings, exploded for nine runs in the top of the fourth to all but ice the game.

How it Happened
- In the second inning, Hunter Gibbons hit a two-out single followed by a walk by Karley Harkey. Armstrong hit an RBI single to left field scoring Gibbons for the first run of the game. Harkey scored the second run of the inning when she stole home.
- Western Carolina scored for the second time with two outs, in the top of the third, when Cyr smacked a two-out double. Cyr scored on an RBI single, up the middle, by Sigmon.
- Savannah State sliced the Catamount lead to one, 3-2, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third.
- Western Carolina exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning. Harkey started it off with a double. Amber Kimrey pushed Harkey across the plate with an RBI single to left field. A single by Abigail Daniels put runners at the corners setting up an RBI single by Salvo to score Kimrey. A fielder's choice play, in which no one was called out, loaded the bases and Salvo scored on a walk pitch. Price followed with the first of two homeruns in the inning smacking a three-run homerun -- it was Price's first homerun of the season. Gibbons walked after Price's homerun and Harkey made the most of her second bat of the inning hitting a two-run homerun shot -- her first homerun of the year.
- Savannah State scored one run in the bottom of the fifth in the shortened five inning game.

Inside the Box Score - Western Carolina had a season-high 14 hits and also scored a season-high 12 runs. - Freshman hurler Lily Hayes got her second start of the season going 2.2 innings giving up two runs on four hits and striking out five. - Sigmon got her second win of the season, improving to 2-0, throwing 2.1 innings allowing two hits, one run and striking out four. - Daniels, Price, Harkey and Armstrong each had a pair of hits in the game and Price had three RBI. - Savannah State had six hits and committed two errors. - Western Carolina played flawless ball not committing an error.

News & Notes
- Western Carolina is 3-1 to start the season and is on a three-game winning streak.
- Western Carolina has 43 hits in four games and allowed 18. - The Catamounts have scored 33 runs in four games and has given up 11.
- Sigmon leads the pitching staff with 21 strikeouts, in four appearances, and has a 2-0 record. - Sigmon moved into ninth place in the Catamount record books for hits in a career with 134 and is in a tie for sixth in the record books for career RBI with 78. She needs 22 RBI this season to snap the school record of 99 set by former Catamount Lauren Ross (2006-09).
- The 3-1 start is the best opening of the season for WCU since 2011 when the team opened the year 6-0.

Up Next
Western Carolina closes out play at the Lady Tiger Classic at 1 p.m. Sunday facing off against former Southern Conference foe College of Charleston.

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