Box Score

The Basics:
Score: La Salle 7, Western Carolina 6; Western Carolina 4, North Florida 2
Records: Western Carolina 3-4, La Salle 6-1, North Florida 9-10
Location: UNF Softball Field, Jacksonville, Fla.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Western Carolina softball split day one action Friday at the North Florida Invitational falling to La Salle 7-6 before bouncing back to knock off host North Florida 4-2 at the UNF Softball Field.

Turning Point:
La Salle's four-run second inning proved to be enough to stave off Western Carolina's continuing comeback attempts, including scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh, as WCU lost by just one run, 7-6.

How it Happened:
La Salle led throughout the game getting a run in the first inning, four runs in the second, one in the fourth and one in the sixth. Western Carolina battled throughout the game cutting the La Salle lead to just one, 6-5, scoring two runs in the second, one in the third, and two in the fifth. What would prove to be the insurance run came for La Salle in the top of the sixth when the Explorers pushed across a run to make the score 7-5. Western Carolina trimmed the La Salle lead to one when Emily Weatherman hit a two-out double and scored courtesy of an RBI single by Kassandra Flores. The Catamount threat ended when a ground out ended the game.

Inside the Box Score:
- Sophomore pitcher Lily Hayes took the loss going 1.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits and struck out one.
- Sophomore Shaina Reed replaced Hayes in the second inning and went 5.1 innings allowing two runs on two hits and struck out six.
- Weatherman led WCU going 3-for-3 scored a run and had three RBI. - Western Carolina outhit La Salle 12 to seven.
- La Salle committed two errors.

Turning Point:
With the game tied 2-2, Madison Armstrong hit a lead-off double and broke the tie when she scored thanks to a RBI double by Erica Hayes to give the Catamounts a 3-2 lead. Hunter Gibbons RBI single in the top of the seventh gave the Catamounts an insurance run to lead 4-2 headed to the bottom of the seventh.

How it Happened:
Western Carolina took the early 2-0 lead when Courtney Price hit a two-out single and Kara Salvo was hit by a pitch to place runners on first and second. After Price stole third and Salvo advanced to second, Price scored on a RBI single by Armstrong. Salvo scored on an Osprey error. North Florida scored runs in the first and second inning to tie the game 2-2. The game would remain tied for three innings before Western Carolina unknotted the game in the sixth inning. WCU scored a run in the sixth and one in the seventh to secure the win.

Inside the Box Score:
- Senior pitcher Courtney Buchanan got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits and struck out three.
- L. Hayes made an appearance on the mound for the second time during the day replacing Buchanan. She tossed 3.1 scoreless innings giving up one hit and struck out four. Hayes also picked up the win and improves to 2-2 on the season.
- Abigail Daniels, Price and Armstrong each had two hits in the game.
- WCU outhit North Florida nine to five. - Armstrong and E. Hayes each had doubles in the game.

News & Notes:
- The win against North Florida halts a four-game losing streak for the Catamounts.
- Salvo has been hit by a pitch in two of the last three games and pushes her WCU career-record total to 35. - Armstrong and Daniels are each on a three-game hitting streak.
- Daniels has reached base safely in the last seven games.
- The six runs scored by WCU against La Salle is the most runs scored by the Catamounts since plating 14 against Howard on Feb. 24.
- In the first two games of the UNF tournament, Weatherman has a .600 batting average with three hits, two runs scored and three RBI.

Up Next:
Western Carolina will continue to play at the UNF Invitational on Saturday taking on Albany at 12:15 and before facing Mt. Saint Mary's at 4:45 p.m.

For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.