Forest City, N.C. - Rain showers and continued unfavorable forecasts into the night halted Friday's first game of a scheduled two-game set between Western Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth being played at McNair Field, home of the Coastal Plain League's Forest City Owls.

With single runs in the bottom of the second and third innings, WCU led 2-1 with runners at first and second with two out in the home portion of the fifth inning when the game was suspended.

Plans for Saturday are to complete the suspended game and then reassess the situation with a chance of playing game two of the scheduled nonconference meetings. The originally scheduled game time is 2 pm, but the resumption could prompt officials to move the game time up, weather permitting.

Fans are encouraged to keep tabs on game times through WCU's social media channels on Facebook and Twitter, using the handle @Catamounts for the latter. The Catamount Sports Network is slated to carry any action from Forest City with live streaming audio online through CatamountSports.com.

Though unofficial at this point, WCU senior infielder Caleb Robinson belted his team-leading eighth home run with one out in the bottom of the second inning to give Western Carolina the early lead, 1-0. But the Rams rallied right back, matching the marker in the top of the third as catcher Andrew Schatz doubled before moving to third on a double-play turned by WCU's Will Prater and Justin Sparks. Daane Berezo then bounced one through the right side, splitting both of the aforementioned Catamounts to push Schatz across the dish to tie the game at one.

The tie was short-lived, though, as consecutive singles to start the bottom of the third inning left runners at the corners. Prater chopped a base hit up the middle before going first-to-third on a two-strike single through the right side by catcher Spencer Holcomb. Prater crossed home on a run-scoring sacrifice bunt by Cameron Blaquiere to make it 2-1.

After a scoreless fourth, things picked up in the top of the fifth. VCU shortstop Zac Ching tripled to right center field to lead-off the inning before WCU reliever Tristan Baker picked up a strikeout. Looking to mimic WCU from the bottom of the third, Haiden Lamb pushed a bunt back to the mound in a sacrifice attempt. However, Baker wheeled around and caught Ching off the bag at third for the second out. With a runner on first, a fielding error allowed Hogan Brown to reach with Lamb scampering around the base paths. Justice Bigbie returned the ball back to the infield where Blaquiere then gunned it home to catch Lamb trying to stretch the error into a game-tying run, ending the inning.

Including a second single by Holcomb and a two-out HBP of Bigbie, WCU had runners at first and second when the game was halted. Holcomb unofficially extended his active reached base safely streak to 24-straight including a 12-game hitting streak.

Redshirt freshman RPH Chase Walter started the game for the Catamounts, working around the numerous game delays to strikeout two against a pair of walks through two and two-thirds innings of a predetermined short start. He gave way to Baker, who fanned three through two and a third innings. Both weekend starters were working on short pitch counts ahead of next week's conference tournament.

VCU starter Sean Thompson struck out five through three innings, surrendering two runs on four hits while reliever Jack Alkire struck out four of the five outs he had recorded through an inning and two thirds before the rain.

Please note that in the halted game, all statistics gathered to this point are unofficial if the game is not completed.