Box Score

Cincinnati, Ohio - Trailing by three entering the final frame Tuesday night, Western Carolina loaded the bases in the top of the ninth inning with pinch hitter Andrew Bullock lifting a sacrifice fly into left field to put the Catamounts on the board. That was a close as WCU could close, though, as the Bearcats held off the visitors to win, 3-1, at Marge Schott Stadium in the second all-time meeting between the two programs.

Western Carolina (25-26) was limited to a pair singles through the first eight frames, doubling that number in the ninth with two base knocks through the right-hand side to start the rally. Sophomore Caleb Robinson punched a single through the right side ahead of Bryson Bowman who beat out a single also to the right side of the infield. Fredericktown, Ohio, native Matt Smith was plunked to load the bases with no outs.

Following a strikeout, Bullock belted 3-1 pitch to left field that was deep enough to allow Robinson to scamper home to put WCU on the board. With two on and two gone, reliever Jarod Yoakam got a game-ending ground out to second base to thwart the Catamount rally.

Senior Danny Bermudez and redshirt junior J.D. Long both reached base twice for the Catamounts in the loss, both singling and drawing a walk. Robinson and Bowman had the other two WCU hits. Bullock, the Southern Conference Player of the Week, pinch hit in the ninth inning with the RBI -- his 16th of the season.

Cincinnati (24-27-1) broke a scoreless tie in the home half of the fourth inning, loading the bases with a single, hit batter, and a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt attempt. With one out, WCU attempted to flip an inning-ending double-play along the middle of the diamond that allowed the first run to score. Then, Vince Augustine doubled to plate a second run with the third out recorded at the plate on a nice relay from Kramer Ferrell-to-Long-to Bermudez in a play at the plate to keep it 2-0.

An inning later, lead-off batter Kyle Mottice reached on a bunt single with the ball rolling past the Catamount defense to allow him to reach second base. On the very next pitch, Treg Haberkorn singled into center field to put the home squad up, 3-0, setting up WCU's ninth-inning.

Starter Dillon Bray (1-4) was saddled with the loss, limiting the Bearcats to a pair of runs on four hits with four strikeouts against a pair of walks. Relievers Corey Sikes and Dylan Biumi both tossed two innings out of the bullpen, combining for five strikeouts including three by the latter. All told, Catamount pitching recorded nine strikeouts on the night.

Cincinnati starter A.J. Olasz (2-5) picked up the victory, scattering two hits over five and a third innings of scoreless action, countering a walk with four strikeouts. Doug Lowe II fanned three with a pair of walks in 2.2 innings with Jarod Yoakam securing his third save, allowing a run on two hits in pitching the ninth.

Mottice tallied two of Cincinnati's seven hits, reaching a third time on a walk. Augustine and Devin Wenzel both recorded RBI for the home squad in their final home game of the season.

Western Carolina travels to Kent, Ohio, to wrap-up the 2016 regular season with a three-game set against the Mid-America Conference (MAC) regular-season champion, Kent State. The series opens with a 6:00 pm first pitch on Thursday, with a second 6:00 pm game on Friday night. WCU concludes the regular season with a 1:00 pm first pitch on Saturday afternoon. Each game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard online at CatamountSports.com.