Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

The Basics:
Score: Western Carolina 5, Samford 1; Samford 7, Western Carolina 4
Records: Western Carolina 16-28, 5-11 SoCon; Samford 22-33, 10-7
Location: Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Western Carolina softball split the Southern Conference doubleheader with Samford Saturday taking game one 5-1, after a two-hour rain delay, and dropping game two 7-4 at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Turning Point:
Western Carolina scored five runs over the course of the first five innings, including exploding for three runs in the fifth inning, for the win.

How it Happened:
Western Carolina sophomore Hunter Gibbons gave the Catamounts the early 1-0 lead with a two-out homerun over the left field wall. Freshman Ashlyn Long got in the homerun game hitting the Catamounts' second long ball of the game - a one-out homerun in the third inning to give WCU a 2-0 lead. In the fifth inning, Western Carolina sored their third run of the game, and it all began with senior Kara Salvo's lead-off single, and she stole second to move into scoring position. A sacrifice bunt by Shaina Reed moved Salvo to third and she scored off a Samford passed ball. With two outs in the fifth, Abigail Daniels hit a single and Gibbons drew a walk to send Madison Armstrong to the plate. With a 2-1 count, Armstrong's at-bat was delayed when the game was suspended due to heavy rain in the area. After a two-plus hour rain delay, the two teams were back in action and Samford had a new pitcher as Taylor DeCelles replaced Gray Adams. DeCelles walked Armstrong to load the bases setting up a two-RBI double by Courtney Price. Samford avoided the shutout hitting a homerun in the top of the sixth.

Inside the Box Score:
- Freshman hurler Kinsey Liscio has another strong showing getting the start in game one against Samford. She tossed a one-hit shutout in five innings, striking out four, to earn her first win as a Catamount.
- After a two-plus hour rain delay, Liscio was lifted for senior pitcher Courtney Buchanan who closed out the game. She went two innings giving up one run on one hit and struck out one.
- Daniels and Salvo each had a pair of hits in the game.
- WCU held Samford to just two hits in the game while the Catamounts had eight.

Turning Point:
With the game tied 1-1, Samford scored three runs in the top of third, a run in the fourth and two more insurance runs in the seventh inning to secure the win.

How it Happened:
After scoring just one run in game one, Samford scored seven runs in game two jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Catamounts tied the game in the bottom of the first, on one swing, with a solo homerun by Armstrong. In the third inning, Samford scored three runs and scored a single run in the fourth and capped it off with two runs in the top of the seventh. Trailing 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Western Carolina put on its rally caps and made things interesting. After Samford lifted starting pitcher Jessica Stone to start the bottom of the seventh, Western Carolina made introductions to Bulldog reliever Rebecca Leonard staring off with an Erica Hayes single to begin the inning. Salvo followed up with a walk and a wild pitch pushed Hayes to third and Salvo to second. The speedy Reed reached first on a Bulldog error and Hayes and Salvo scored on the play. A second consecutive Bulldog error put pinch hitter Kassandra Flores on first and moved Reed to second. Long loaded the bases when she drew a walk. Daniels hit into a double-play, but Reed scored on the play, to make the score 7-4 and that is where it would end when a Catamount groundout ended the game and the rally.

Inside the Box Score:
- Reed got the start and went 2.2 innings giving up four runs on six hits and falls to 3-7 on the year. - Sophomore hurler Lily Hayes relieved Reed and went 4.1 innings. She gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out three.
- Western Carolina had five hits and Samford had 13.
- Samford had three errors in the game.
- The Bulldogs stranded 13 base runners.
- Daniels had a pair of hits in the game.

News & Notes:
- Salvo drew her 71st walk in her Catamount career, in game two against Samford, and moved into a tie for first place in the WCU record books for walks in a career.
- Western Carolina turned its 23rd double-play of the season tying the 2016 team for most double-plays turned in a season in the WCU record books.
- With the win in game one, WCU is now 6-2 against Samford in the last three Southern Conference series held in Cullowhee. The Catamounts are 7-5 against Samford over the last 12 games.
- Long has reached base safely in the last four games.
- Gibbons hit the ninth homerun of her career in game one against Samford which bests her seasonal mark by one as she had eight in her freshman campaign.
- Price hit in her 90th and 91st RBI in the doubleheader, against Samford, and remains in fifth place in the WCU record books and needs seven RBI to move into third place.
- Gibbons 39 RBI this season ranks tied for eighth in the WCU record books for RBI in a season with former Catamount Lauren Ross. She needs two RBI for seventh place.
- Western Carolina's 65 doubles, as a team this season ranks, tied for second place in the WCU record books. Two more team doubles will move the 2017 team into first place in the Catamount record books for team doubles.
- Western Carolina's doubleheader split with Samford is the third straight SoCon doubleheader the Catamounts have split this season.

Up Next:
Western Carolina and Samford will play a rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Catamount Softball Complex. Prior to the game seniors Buchanan, Salvo and Price will be honored.

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