Box Score

Greenville, S.C. - For a second-straight day, Western Carolina rode a strong pitching performance to a victory as the Catamounts won their Southern Conference series over Furman, downing the Paladins 5-2 in Sunday afternoon's rubber match at Latham Stadium.

Redshirt junior left-hander Taylor Purus scattered six hits over 8.1 innings of work, striking out seven Paladins while carrying a shutout into the ninth inning. The Hudson, N.C., native pitched around four walks and a pair of hit batters, stranding nine Furman runners on base including four in scoring position. Freshman RHP Zach Franklin closed out the game, retiring the only two batters he faced with a fly ball out to center and a ground-out to first base that ended the game.

Sunday's win coupled with Saturday's dominating pitching performance by redshirt freshman Chase Walter led WCU to its first series victory of the season. It also represented the first, back-to-back victories for the Catamounts this year.

Six of WCU's 13 hits on Sunday went for extra bases including two doubles by Tristan Baker (2-for-2) coming in a pinch hit relief role. Freshman Justice Bigbie tallied a second multi-hit game for the Catamounts, pacing the team with three singles in a 3-for-5 showing including one for a RBI in the three-run third. Redshirt sophomore Colton Henthorne also plated a run on a double to left and Spencer Holcomb singling up the middle in WCU's big inning. Holcomb's base knock extended his active hitting streak to a season-long six-straight with him also reaching base safely in 18-consecutive games.

Redshirt junior Matthew Koehler (1-for-4) opened the fourth inning with a double, pushing his current hit streak to five-in-a-row. He scored an insurance marker on a RBI-ground out by Andrew Robinson, who also laced a double down the left field line in the third inning before scoring WCU's fifth run after drawing a lead-off walk in the top of the ninth.

Down 5-0 with one out in the top of the ninth, Furman (22-25, 7-11 SoCon) got on the board in the home half of the ninth as Bret Huebner reached on a walk before pinch hitter Deon Sanders homered to straight-away center field in providing the final tally.

Furman starter John Michael Bertrand (4-3) took the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout. Jake Crawford, one of three Furman relievers after starting the game at third base, was tagged for a run that scored after he left the mound on a Cameron Blaquiere (1-for-4) sacrifice fly.

Crawford led the Paladins offense, reaching base four times including 2-for-2 with a pair of singles, a walk, and a HBP. Furman's remaining four hits were spread between four players with freshman Ben Anderson reaching three times with a single and a pair of walks.

Western Carolina (6-39, 4-17 SoCon) steps out of conference in the midweek, visiting nationally-ranked Clemson on Wednesday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium before returning for Senior Weekend, hosting the Samford Bulldogs to wrap-up both the home portion of its schedule and its league slate. First pitch on Wednesday night is slated for 6:30 pm.