Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score |   

The Basics:
Score: Western Carolina 4, NC A&T 0; Western Carolina 6, NC A&T 2
Records: Western Carolina 12-23, NC A&T 10-26-1
Location: Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Western Carolina softball picked up a doubleheader sweep against North Carolina A&T defeating the Aggies 4-0, 6-2 Thursday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Turning Point:
Scoreless through five and a half innings, Western Carolina broke the game open scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth. It all started with a three-run homerun by Madison Armstrong.

How it Happened:
Shaina Reed's performance in the pitching circle kept North Carolina A&T off the scoreboard until the Catamount offense could get going. Reed at one point sat down 15 straight before giving up a walk in the seventh inning. Western Carolina's offensive prowess was jump-started in the top of the sixth with the top of the order when Abigail Daniels led off with a single. With two outs, Hunter Gibbons was hit by a pitch setting up Armstrong's three-run homerun. Armstrong scored the fourth run of the inning thanks to a RBI double by Kara Salvo.

Inside the Box Score:
- Reed earned her 10th start of the season and clocked in the first complete game of her Catamount career. She tossed a one-hit shutout and improves to 3-5 on the year.
- Western Carolina had six hits in the game and allowed one.
- Three of Western Carolina's six hits were for extra bases, two doubles, and a homerun.
- Six of the Catamounts nine batters got a hit in the game.
- Western Carolina turned a double-play to end the game.

Turning Point:
Western Carolina scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and scored runs in the second, fourth and fifth to secure the doubleheader sweep. How it Happened: The Catamounts wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in game two plating three runs in the bottom of the first. Daniels led off with a double and moved to third on a throw to third base. Erica Hayes followed with a walk placing runners on the corners. Courtney Price pounded a two-RBI double to right field scoring Daniels and E. Hayes. With two outs, Ashlyn Long sent a RBI double to left center scoring Price. In the third, North Carolina A&T scored its first run of the doubleheader with a solo homerun. Western Carolina got the run back in the bottom of the third on a RBI single by Price to left field. The Aggies would not go away cutting the WCU lead to 4-2 with its second solo homerun in the top of the fourth. For the second straight inning, the Catamounts answered with a single run when Gibbons hit a double to right centerfield and Daniels scored off an error by the Aggies on the same play. The Catamounts scored their final run of the game in the top of the fifth when Long led off the inning with a solo homerun. It was Long's second homerun of her career.

Inside the Box Score:
- Western Carolina had eight hits in the game and allowed four.
- Senior pitcher Courtney Buchanan got the start tossing a complete game. She allowed two runs and struck out five. Buchanan improves to 4-7 on the season.
- Long and Price each had a pair of hits in the game. Price also had three RBI while Long had two.

News & Notes:
- Western Carolina is now 15-5 against North Carolina A&T having won the last seven meetings. - Of the 14 hits, Western Carolina had in the doubleheader against North Carolina A&T eight of them were for extra bases (six doubles and two homeruns).
- Gibbons had two doubles in the pair of games pushing her seasonal total to 13 moving her into a tie for second place in the Catamount record books for doubles in a season. She is one double away from tying the school record and two away from breaking it.
- Price has now scored 106 runs in her career and continues to rank second in the WCU record books. She needs three runs to break the school record of 108 set jointly by Amelia Griffin and Stephanie Beatty.
- Price also moves into fifth place for RBI in a career with 84.
- Salvo takes over second place for doubles in a career with the 32nd of her career. She is now three behind teammate Price who owns the record with 35.
- Gibbons now ranks 10th in the WCU record books for homeruns in a career with 15.
- Western Carolina is now 4-3 over the last seven games. Designated player and pinch hitter Cheyenne Mathews is hitting .500 in the last seven games in 10 at bats with five hits and has also scored three runs.
- Western Carolina has hit a homerun in three of the last four games and six of the last eight games.

Up Next:
Western Carolina has a bye this weekend in Southern Conference play enjoying five days off before returning to play on Tuesday, April 18 traveling to North Carolina Central for a doubleheader. '

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