Box Score |   

The Basics:
Score: Western Carolina 5, Charlotte 1; Western Carolina 9, Charlotte 7
Records: Western Carolina 8-17, Charlotte 19-17
Location: Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Western Carolina softball benefitted from late-inning rallies to sweep Charlotte 5-1, 9-7 Wednesday in the Catamounts' home opener at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Turning Point:
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Western Carolina scored five runs to take a 5-1 lead and secure the eventual win in game one.

How it Happened:
Charlotte broke open a scoreless game when junior Haley Pace hit a solo homerun in the fourth inning. Western Carolina broke open the game with a huge inning in the bottom of the fifth scoring five runs. Back-to-back singles by Kara Salvo and Emily Castro started the inning and the bases were loaded after Shaina Reed reached on a fielder's choice. With one out, Courtney Price drew a bases loaded walk to score Salvo and tie the game 1-1. Madison Armstrong broke open the game with a bases clearing three-RBI double to put WCU up 4-1. Armstrong scored off an RBI single to right field by Ashlyn Long and give the Catamounts the 5-1 lead and eventual win.

Inside the Box Score:
- Senior pitcher Courtney Buchanan tossed a complete game allowing a run on five hits, struck out three and walked four. She improves to 2-6 on the season.
- Western Carolina had seven hits in the game and Charlotte had five.
- Armstrong and Salvo each had a pair of hits in the game and Armstrong had three RBI.

Turning Point:
With Western Carolina trialing Charlotte 7-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Catamounts rallied to score seven runs to take a 9-7 lead and hold on to win. The 49ers attempted a rally in the top of the seventh with runners on first and second but WCU pitcher Shaina Reed struck out pinch hitter Alex Paulson for the Catamount win.

How it Happened:
Charlotte wasted no time scoring in game two plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Catamounts tied the game in the bottom of the second when Erica Hayes led off with a double to left field and Salvo and Castro were each hit by a pitch to load the bases. A Charlotte error scored E. Hayes and Salvo to tie the game at 2-2. Charlotte retook the lead with a run in the third and looked to break open the game when the 49ers scored four runs in the top of the sixth to lead the Catamounts 7-2. The Catamounts would rally for the second straight game scoring seven unanswered runs in the bottom of the sixth. Hunter Gibbons hit the first of two three-run homeruns in the inning when Emily Weatherman led off with a single and Courtney Price reached on an error. Gibbons hit a three-run homerun over the centerfield wall to pull the Catamounts within three of the 49ers, 7-4. A double by Armstrong and a two-out bases loaded walk by Long set up an RBI double by Salvo to make the score 7-5. Western Carolina's second three-run homerun was courtesy of Castro to give the Catamounts their first lead of the game as WCU would go on to take the win and sweep the doubleheader.

Inside the Box Score:
- Castro hit the first homerun of her Catamount career.
- Gibbons hit her fourth homerun of the season.
- Sophomore pitcher Lily Hayes got the start and went two innings allowing three runs on four hits and struck out one. Hayes was lifted in the third inning for Reed.
- Reed finished out the game on the mound allowing four runs on four hits, three earned, and struck out four. She improves to 2-3 on the season.
- The two teams combined for 16 runs and 19 hits in the game.
- Weatherman, Armstrong, Salvo and Castro each had a pair of hits in the game. - Western Carolina had two homeruns in the game.
- The Catamounts had three doubles in the game (Armstrong, E. Hayes, and Salvo).

News & Notes:
- Western Carolina's doubleheader sweep against Charlotte halts a five-game losing streak. WCU is now on a two-game winning streak.
- With the pair of wins against Charlotte, the Catamounts have now won eight straight against the Conference USA member and have taken the last three doubleheaders.
- Gibbons homerun marks the first long ball for the Catamounts in six games. It was also the first time since March 5, against La Salle, WCU has had multiple homeruns in a game.
- Price has reached base safely in the last 11 games.
- Armstrong, Salvo, and Castro are each on a three-game hitting streak.
- Western Carolina scored a combined 14 runs in the doubleheader with Charlotte. In the three-game series against UNCG March 25-26 WCU scored a combined five runs. In fact, WCU scored more runs in the two games against Charlotte then the team scored in the last five games, the three-game series against UNCG and the doubleheader against Winthrop combined.
- With Salvo's double in game two against Charlotte she now has 31 in her career just one shy of tying for second place in the WCU record books and two behind teammate, and record holder, Price.
- Price now ranks third in the WCU record books for runs in a career with 103 and needs six runs to break the school record held by Stephanie Beatty and Amelia Griffin jointly with 108. She ranks fourth in the WCU record books for hits in a career with 175 and needs five to vault into third place. The record watch continues with RBI as she currently has 80 ranking her tied for sixth place. Price can move into fifth place with two RBI.
- Salvo ranks tied for fourth in the WCU record books for walks in a career with 64. She needs two walks to take over third place.

Up Next:
Western Carolina hosts Furman on April 1-2 in the Catamounts' Southern Conference home opener. The doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. Saturday and the single game will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday.

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