Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

The Basics:
Score: Western Carolina 8, ETSU 3; ETSU 3, Western Carolina 1
Records: Western Carolina 13-24, 3-8 SoCon, ETSU 21-20, 7-4 SoCon
Location: Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Western Carolina softball split the Southern Conference doubleheader with ETSU Saturday taking game one 8-3 before dropping the nightcap 3-1 at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Turning Point:
Western Carolina opened the game scoring eight unanswered runs, including a monster six-run third inning to take the opening game of the Southern Conference series with ETSU.

How it Happened:
Western Carolina opened the game scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Ashlyn Long hit a one-out single past the Buccaneer's shortstop and with two outs sophomore Hunter Gibbons hit a two-out homerun to give the Catamounts an early 2-0 lead. The Catamounts exploded for six runs in the third inning and it all began when freshman first baseman Emily Castro led off the inning with a walk. Abigail Daniels followed with a single sacrifice bunt and a single by Long loaded the bases. Courtney Price hit a two-RBI single up the middle for the first two runs of the inning. Gibbons followed with a two-RBI double and Madison Armstrong followed with a RBI single down the third base line. Shaina Reed scored the final run of the inning hitting a RBI single to left field. ETSU extended the game, as the contest was almost shortened in the top of the fifth with WCU leading 8-0 and the run rule looming. The Buccaneers scored three runs in the top of the fifth to extend the game to the full seven innings but WCU held on for the win.

Inside the Box Score:
- Senior pitcher Courtney Buchanan got the start and went 4.1 innings allowing three runs on five hits and struck out six. She improves to 5-7 on the year. Buchanan wiggled out of an early jam to start the game after a pair of walks to ETSU and a hit by a pitch loaded the bases in the first inning. Buchanan struck out three batters amidst the walks and hit by a pitch to turn back ETSU.
- With one out in the fifth, sophomore hurler Lily Hayes replaced Buchanan and closed out the game. She threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing three hit12 s.
- ETSU left runners on base. - The Catamounts had 11 hits in the game and ETSU had eight with the two teams combining for 19 hits in the game.
- Long was 4-for-4 in the game scoring two runs. - Gibbons had a homerun and a double in the game and posted four RBI and scored two runs.

Turning Point:
ETSU scored a run in the first inning and scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to take game two of the doubleheader against Western Carolina.

How it Happened:
ETSU scored a run in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead over the Catamounts. After the lone run, the two teams went five innings without either team scoring a run. ETSU posted two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning courtesy of a two-run homerun by Danielle Knoetzen. It proved to be an advantageous pair of runs as Western Carolina finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Catamount pinch hitter Cheyenne Mathews hit a double to left center. Abigail Daniels followed with a bloop single and an ETSU error allowed Long to reach first and load the bases. Erica Hayes hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Kassandra Flores who came back into the game after Mathews pinch hit for her. With two outs, Price flew out to right field to end the Catamount rally.

Inside the Box Score:
- Freshman pitcher Kinsey Liscio got the start for Western Carolina and tossed a complete game. She allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits and struck out four. She falls to 0-4 on the year.
- Both teams had five hits in the game.
- Daniels led the team with a pair of hits.
- Western Carolina turned its 20th double play of the season in game two and ranks second in the WCU record books for double plays turned in a season.

News & Notes:
- Western Carolina's opening game one win over ETSU halted the Buccaneers' four-game winning streak and extended the Catamounts winning streak to three straight before dropping the nightcap.
- Gibbons hit her 14th double of the season in game one against ETSU. She is now tied for first place in the WCU record books for doubles in a season.
- Price scored her 107th career run ranking her second in the Catamount record books. She is one run shy of tying the school record of 108 held jointly by former Catamounts Amelia Griffin and Stephanie Beatty.
- Daniels is on a four-game hitting and reached base safely streak. E. Hayes and Gibbons have also reached base safely in the last four games.
- Western Carolina is 3-1 over the last four games.
- As a team, Western Carolina has hit 62 doubles this season which is tied for third in the WCU record books for doubles by a Catamount team in a season. WCU is four doubles away from taking over second place.
- With her homerun in game one, Gibbons tied her seasonal record from last season for homeruns in a season with eight. That is also good for 10th place in the WCU record books for homeruns in a season. For her career, Gibbons has 16 homeruns ranking her 10th in the WCU record books for career homeruns.
- Gibbons has 35 RBI this season just one better than her freshman campaign when she had 34 RBI. That mark is also good for 11th place in the WCU record books for RBI in a season.

Up Next:
Western Carolina and ETSU are scheduled to play the rubber match of the SoCon series Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Catamount Softball Complex. With severe weather predicted for the area on Sunday make sure to check on catamountsports.com and via the Western Carolina Athletics Twitter and Facebook pages for any weather related changes.

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