Box Score

Charleston, S.C. - Western Carolina baseball split a Saturday doubleheader at Riley Park, upending The Citadel, 8-5, in game one to even the best-of-three series before dropping the finale, 9-3, in the night cap of the twin bill.

WCU's victory in game one on Saturday was its first away from Cullowhee this season. The Bulldogs claimed the seasonal series for a second time in the past three years, both coming in the Lowcountry.

Senior catcher Spencer Holcomb paced the Catamount offense in Saturday's two games, finishing 5-for-9 with a double and two RBI. The Pfafftown, N.C., native who caught all three games of the weekend, reached a sixth time successfully with a walk. Sophomore Luke Robinson stretched his team-leading hitting streak to nine-straight games with three hits in the doubleheader, doubling while also driving in three runs.

Also for WCU, freshman Justice Bigbie extended his hitting streak to five-straight in game one of the doubleheader with a pair of doubles, but was held hitless in game two, halting the streak.

Western Carolina (3-19, 1-2 SoCon) returns home to host the Tennessee Volunteers in the backend of a midweek, nonconference home-and-home on Tuesday evening at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN3 with a first pitch of 5:00 pm. The Catamounts then travel to Wofford for a three-game SoCon series that begins on Thursday, March 29 in Spartanburg, S.C.

Game One: Western Carolina 8, The Citadel 5
Junior LHP Tristan Baker struck out four through a season-long 7.0 innings to score his first victory of the season as the Catamounts outlasted The Citadel, 8-5, to even the three-game series at one win apiece.

After allowing the first two Bulldog batters to reach to start the second inning on a single and a hit batter, Baker (1-2) retired the next 10 hitters in a row starting with a sacrifice bunt that moved two into scoring position. Among the 10-consecutive outs were three of his four strikeouts.

WCU jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first inning only to see The Citadel close to within a run, 2-1, after the first. Both starting pitchers then put up zeroes for the next five frames, holding the respective offenses in check until the Catamounts broke through in the top of the seventh.

The first three Catamounts reached base to open the frame to load the bases with Matthew Koehler, Caleb Robinson, and Bo Fricks each reaching. Freshman Will Prater then drove a RBI single to left before pinch hitter Justin Sparks plated a run on a first-pitch HBP. Luke Robinson then dropped a run-scoring single into left center with Justice Bigbie plating the fourth run on a sacrifice fly to right to cap the barrage.

The Citadel rallied back with two runs in the eighth inning off reliever Blake Therrian getting a RBI single by Andrew Judkins ahead of a sacrifice fly by Ben Peden to cut the deficit in half, 6-3. However, the Catamounts responded in the top of the ninth, getting both markers back. Bigbie plated Immanuel Wilder, who reached on an error, on a double before eventually scoring on a RBI single by Holcomb through the right side.

In the ninth, the Bulldogs pushed across a pair of runs to provide the final tally, but reliever Zach Franklin was able to shut the door with two strikeouts and a game-ending ground out to short.

Both Therrian and Franklin struck out two in an inning of relief work for the Catamounts.

The Citadel starter Alex Bialakis (2-2) was chased after six and a third inning, allowing six runs -- four earned -- on eight hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Reliever Will Pillsbury allowed one hit without recording an out, while Kyle Smith was tagged for just two unearned runs in the ninth as a part of his 2.2 relief innings with a walk and a strikeout.

The Bulldogs out-hit WCU in game one, 13-to-11, but struck out eight times against six for the Catamounts.

Game Two: The Citadel 9, Western Carolina 3
Catamount starter Taylor Purus struck out a career-high nine through 6.1 innings, but Western Carolina's offense could not solve the Bulldog bullpen in suffering a 9-3 setback in game two. The Citadel used a trio of three-run innings including a William Kinney three-run home run in the fourth to score the series win.

WCU again jumped out to the early advantage with a single marker in the top of the first inning as freshman Bryson Parks reached on infield error before swiping second base. Luke Robinson then drove a run-scoring single into right center field for the early advantage.

Purus worked around the first two Bulldog batters reaching in the bottom of the opening frame, stranding two in scoring position as a part of retiring six-straight. However, the Bulldogs got on the board in the third, taking advantage of pair of walks that both scored on a RBI single by Ryan McCarthy while a third marker crossed on a sacrifice bunt, plating Jonathan Sabo from third.

Leading 3-1, Kinney's three-run blast came with two outs in the inning to push the home squad ahead by five. WCU trimmed the deficit back to three in the top of the fifth on run a run-scoring single by Holcomb and a RBI double by Robinson, but it was as close as the Catamounts would get at 6-3. The Citadel pushed three runs -- two earned -- across in the bottom of the eighth to provide the final tally.

WCU only mustered five hits in the loss with Holcomb and Luke Robinson collecting two apiece while senior Caleb Robinson recording the only other base knock. On the mound, relievers Jake Moebius and Zach Franklin tossed the final inning and two thirds, both recording strikeouts.

Three Bulldogs recorded two-hit games led by Kinney. Starter Jordan Merritt (2-2) earned the victory after tossing the minimum, scattering four hits over five innings with three runs -- two earned -- allowed while striking out seven against three walks. Reliever Hunter Barbee tossed a one-hit, scoreless inning ahead of Jordan Buster who struck out five against two walks in two frames of work. Jonathan Sabo, who started the game at short, closed out the game with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.