Box Score

The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 9 - College of Charleston 1 (six innings)
Records: Western Carolina 4-1, College of Charleston 2-1
Location: Lady Tiger Stadium -- Savannah, Ga.

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Senior shortstop Karley Harkey hit the first grand-slam of her career to help lift Western Carolina softball to a 9-1 routing of College of Charleston Sunday in the final day of the Lady Tiger Classic hosted by Savannah State at the Lady Tiger Stadium. The Catamounts concluded the weekend with a 4-1 record.

Turning Point
With WCU clinging tightly to a 1-0 lead, Western Carolina exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth, aided by the grand-slam by Harkey, to put the game out of reach for the Cougars.

How it Happened
- Western Carolina jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Kara Salvo was hit by a pitch and Crystal Cyr hit a double to place runners at second and third. Taylor Sigmon hit an RBI single past the Cougar pitcher to score Salvo.
- Western Carolina exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sigmon got it started with a two RBI single after Amber Kimrey and Salvo drew back-to-back walks and Cyr reached on a fielder's choice. The third walk of the inning, to Victoria Mariscal with two outs, loaded the bases for the second time in the inning and the Cougar pitching couldn't wiggle out without damage as Harkey launched a grand-slam.
- College of Charleston avoided the shutout scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth. -
Western Carolina tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth. Courtney Price led off with a double and Salvo followed with a single. Back-to-back errors by the Cougars, on Cyr and Sigmon, afforded WCU the two additional runs.

Inside the Box Score
- Western Carolina played flawless ball failing to commit an error while College of Charleston had three.
- Junior Courtney Buchanan tossed 5.1 innings giving up one run on five hits, walking two, and striking out two. She picks up the win improving to 2-1 on the season. - Sigmon tossed 0.2 innings in the game. - Western Carolina had eight hits.
- Harkey had just one hit but it was a big one - the grand-slam that broke open the game. - Sigmon and Madison Armstrong each had two hits.

News & Notes
- In the first five games of the season, Western Carolina has 51 hits as a team and has scored 42 runs and allowed 12.
- Western Carolina hitters have hit 19 extra base hits (13 doubles, one triple and five homeruns). - Western Carolina is riding a four-game winning streak after dropping the opening game of the season 7-6 to Jacksonville State.
- Cyr has hit a double in the last three games.
- Western Carolina is now 12-16 against College of Charleston.
- The 4-1 start is the best for the Catamounts since 2011 when the team opened the season 6-0.
- With a pair of hits against the Cougars, Sigmon has 136 career hits moving her to eighth in the Catamount record books for hits in a career. Sigmon also now ranks fourth in career RBI, with 82, in the Catamount record books. Sigmon needs 18 RBI to overtake former Catamount Lauren Ross who ended her stellar career with 99 RBI.

Up Next
Western Carolina will travel to Charleston, S.C. to compete in a tournament hosted by Charleston Southern Feb. 19-21.

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