Box Score |   

The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 3, Chattanooga 0
Records: Western Carolina 27-13, 5-2 SoCon Chattanooga 20-20, 2-5 SoCon
Location: Catamount Softball Complex - Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Senior pitcher Taylor Sigmon tossed a four hit shutout to help pace Western Carolina softball to a 3-0 shutout of Chattanooga, in game one of a three-game Southern Conference series, Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

The Catamount victory over Chattanooga snapped a 28-game losing streak to the Mocs.

Turning Point
Western Carolina freshman Madison Armstrong broke open a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when she launched a solo homerun over the right centerfield fence. The Catamounts would go on to score a run in the fourth and one in the sixth.

How it Happened
- Armstrong got the scoring started for Western Carolina when she hit her fourth homerun of the season -- a solo homerun over the right centerfield wall in the third inning.
- The Catamounts tacked on a second run in the bottom of the fourth. Karley Harkey led off the inning by reaching first on a Chattanooga error. She moved to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Victoria Mariscal and motored to third on the play. Hunter Gibbons hit a ground out RBI to score Harkey.
- WCU tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Abigail Daniels singled past the Chattanooga pitcher and scored off an RBI single up the middle by Crystal Cyr.
- Western Carolina's strong defensive plays helped keep Chattanooga off the scoreboard including throwing a runner out at third off a single to left field. WCU also got strong defensive plays courtesy of the lights out play of Harkey at shortstop.
-Sigmon and the Catamount defense also combined to sit down 10 straight Chattanooga batters before a WCU error allowed a Chattanooga baserunner in the top of the seventh. Sigmon also got a strikeout to end an inning three times.

Inside the Box Score
- Sigmon tossed her fifth complete game in the shutout allowing four hits, striking out nine and yielded one walk. She improves to 10-8 on the season.
- Armstrong hit her fourth homerun of the season.
- Western Carolina had nine hits in the game and gave up four.
- Each team committed an error.
- Armstrong, Cyr and Daniels each had a pair of hits in the game.

News & Notes
- Western Carolina snapped a 28-game losing streak to Chattanooga with the 3-0 win over the Mocs. Prior to the victory on Saturday, Western Carolina's last win against Chattanooga came with a 5-4 victory in 2007.
- Kara Salvo extended her consecutive on base streak to 16.
- With 27 wins, Western Carolina is one win away from moving into a tie for second place in the WCU record books for wins in a season. The 2007 team completed its season with 28.
- The 10 wins for Sigmon, in the circle, is the first time the Catawba, N.C. native has reached double digit wins in her Catamount career.
- Sigmon and fellow pitcher Courtney Buchanan each have 10 wins this season, the first time since 2007 a pair of Western Carolina pitchers have had double digit wins.
- The Catamounts now have 41 homeruns for the season ranking the team third in the WCU record books for homeruns. Western Carolina is four homeruns away from moving into second place usurping the 2012 team who had 44.
- The Catamounts' shutout of Chattanooga is the first time the Mocs have been shutout since losing to Samford 10-0 on April 2. It is the sixth time this season Chattanooga has been held scoreless. - Sigmon picked up her 164th hit in her career ranking her fourth in the WCU record books. She needs seven hits to move into third place.
- 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.

Up Next
Western Carolina will play a doubleheader with Chattanooga on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. The games can be seen on the SoCon Digital Network.

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