Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 12, USC Upstate 11 (9); USC Upstate 3, Western Carolina 0
Records: Western Carolina 26-13, USC Upstate 29-11
Location: Catamount Softball Complex - Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Freshman catcher Madison Armstrong hit a walk-off RBI single in Western Carolina softball's 12-11, nine inning, game one victory over UCS Upstate Wednesday at the Catamount Softball Complex. USC Upstate won the nightcap 3-0 for the doubleheader split.

The Catamounts overcame an 8-2 deficit, in game one, to battle back and tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, 11-11, and force extra innings and pick up the win in the ninth. It was WCU's first victory over the Spartans in the program's history having lost the previous 15 meetings.

Turning Point
Trailing 8-2 heading to the bottom of the third inning, Western Carolina outscored USC Upstate 9-3 in the ensuing four innings to tie the game at 11 after six innings. In the bottom of the ninth, with Western Carolina's Kara Salvo placed on second due to the international tie-breaker rule, Armstrong hit a walk-off RBI single to score Salvo and win the game.

How it Happened
- In the bottom of the first inning, Western Carolina scored off a pair of USC Upstate errors to take an early 2-0 lead.
- The Spartans scored three runs on a three-run homerun by Brittany Case in the top of the second to lead 3-2.
- USC Upstate built an 8-2 lead scoring five runs in the top of the third.
- Western Carolina scored four runs in the bottom of the third to cut the Spartan lead to 8-6. Courtney Price led off the inning with a single up the middle and Karley Harkey followed with a two-run homerun scoring Price. Victoria Mariscal followed with a single to right field. With two outs, Salvo hit an RBI double to score Mariscal. After Salvo went to third on a passed ball, she scored courtesy of an RBI single by Armstrong.
- In the top of the fourth, the Spartans added two more runs with a two-run homerun by Tarynn Tirpak.
- Harkey hit her second homerun of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as WCU added two more runs. Taylor Sigmon led off with a single and she scored off Harkey's homerun to centerfield. - USC Upstate added its last run of the game in the top of the fifth to lead 11-8.
- Western Carolina scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth. - Western Carolina starting pitcher Courtney Buchanan got her shutdown inning in the top of the sixth, sitting the Spartans down in order, which set up the Catamounts' tying runs in the bottom of the sixth.
- The Catamounts tied the game at 11 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Mariscal led off with a single to left center and moved to second on a Spartan error. With two outs, pinch hitter Hunter Gibbons singled to centerfield moving Mariscal to third. Gibbons stole second placing runners at second and third with two outs. Armstrong struck again hitting a two RBI single scoring Mariscal and Gibbons.
- Western Carolina had a solid defensive stand in the top of the ninth. With one out, Armstrong picked off the runner at third, after the Spartan runner was sacrificed over from second, for the second out. A strikeout ended the inning for USC Upstate.
- In the bottom of the ninth, Salvo was placed on second courtesy of the international tie-breaker rule. Armstrong was called upon to swing away, and not bunt Salvo over, and swing away she did hitting the walk-off RBI single to score Salvo and win the game.

Inside the Box Score
- Buchanan got the start but did not get the decision in the game. She went six innings allowing 11 runs on 11 hits, walked nine and struck out one.
- Sigmon relieved Buchanan in the seventh inning with the game tied at 11. She tossed three scoreless innings, struck out five and earned the win.
- Western Carolina tied its season-high with 14 hits.
- Armstrong was 3-for-5 in the game with four RBI and a run scored.
- Harkey hit a career-high two homeruns in the game, had four RBI, two hits and scored two runs. - After WCU gave up 11 runs in the first five innings to USC Upstate, the Catamounts held the Spartans scoreless in the final four innings.

Turning Point
USC Upstate scored a run in the third and two in the fifth inning and held WCU scoreless to take game two.

How it Happened
- USC Upstate broke open a scoreless game with a run in the top of the third to lead the Catamounts 1-0.
- The Spartans added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning.
- Western Carolina had a runner past second base only twice in the game.

Inside the Box Score
- Sigmon tossed the complete game allowing three runs on nine hits and struck out a season-high 12. She took the loss and falls to 9-8 on the season.
- USC Upstate had nine hits and Western Carolina had four.
- Each team had an error in the game.
- Salvo, Price, Mariscal and Daniels had hits in the game for WCU.

News & Notes
- Sigmon did not pick up an RBI in the game and continues to be tied for first place, with 99, in the WCU record books for RBI in a career with former Catamount standout Lauren Ross.
- Salvo extended her consecutive on base streak to 15.
- Western Carolina earned it's first-ever win over USC Upstate with the game one (12-11) win over the Spartans. The 12 runs is the most WCU has scored against USC Upstate and the most runs the Spartans have given up this season.
- Western Carolina is now 2-2 in extra-inning games.
- Crystal Cyr has reached base safely in the last six games.
- Salvo has been hit by a pitch in 13 games this season which ties her for second in the WCU record books. She is on away from tying for first place held by Shemekia Scotton with 14.
- Western Carolina has 40 homeruns this season which ranks third in the WCU record books for homeruns in a season. The Catamounts are five homeruns away from taking over second place set by the 2012 squad when they hit 44.
- Western Carolina's 26 wins is the most under Head Coach Jim Clift and the third most in the program's 10-year history. The 26 wins rank as the third most in WCU softball history just two behind the 2007 club's 28. The school record for wins is 41 set by the inaugural team in 2006.

Up Next
Western Carolina hosts Chattanooga April 9-10 for a three-game Southern Conference series. The doubleheader on Saturday is set to begin at 1 p.m. and the single game on Sunday is also slated for 1 p.m. The pair of games on Saturday can be heard on the Catamount Sports Network.

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