The Basics

Score: Furman 9, Western Carolina 2; Western Carolina 3, Furman 1

Records: Western Carolina 20-29, 5-11 SoCon, Furman 12-33, 4-9 SoCon

Location: Catamount Softball Stadium, Cullowhee, N.C.   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball split its doubleheader with Furman Saturday dropping the opening game 9-2 and winning the nightcap 3-1. 

Furman 9, Western Carolina 2

Turning Point

Furman exploded for five runs in the top of the third.

How it Happened

• Madison Armstrong hit a lead-off single and came around to score from an RBI single by Addie Pate in the bottom of the first.
• Furman tied the game with a lone run in the top of the second and went on to score nine unanswered runs from the second to the fifth innings.
• Erica Hayes hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.

Inside the Box Score

• Pitcher Kinsey Liscio got the start and went 5.1 innings giving up nine runs on 13 hits with four strikeouts. She falls to 10-10 on the year.
• Kayla Brewer replaced Liscio with one out in the sixth. She tossed 1.2 scoreless innings giving up two hits.
• Furman had 15 hits to Western Carolina's six. 

Western Carolina 3, Furman 1

Turning Point

Western Carolina used two home runs, scoring in the third and fourth innings.

How it Happened

• Furman took the early lead hitting a solo home run in the top of the second.
• Hunter Gibbons gave the Catamounts the lead with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the third. Armstrong hit a one-out single and scored thanks to Gibbons' two-run home run to centerfield.
• Sophomore Kailey McNeil hit the Catamounts' second home run of the game with a solo shot to lead off the fourth.
• Western Carolina's defense turned double plays in the sixth and seventh innings to cut down Furman's attempts at rallies.

Inside the Box Score

• Senior hurler Shaina Reed tossed a complete game improving to 8-14 on the year. She gave up one run on four hits and struck out three.
• Each team had four hits in the game with both committing two errors.
• Armstrong, Gibbons, McNeil and Lindsay Perillo each had hits in the game. Gibbons added two RBI.

News & Notes

• Western Carolina's 3-1 win in game two against Furman halted a five-game losing streak to the Paladins.
• Armstrong is on a four-game hitting streak.
• Hayes hit her career season-best seventh home run in game one against Furman which ranks tied for second on the team this season. She notched her 30th RBI which is also a career season high and ranks tied for 15th in the WCU record books for most RBI in a season.
• Gibbons scored the 103rd run of her career continuing to rank her fourth in the WCU record books. She needs six runs to take over second place.
• In the six games, Western Carolina has played this week, the Catamounts are 3-3. Armstrong is hitting .313 in the six-game span with five hits, two doubles, and three runs scored. In the circle, Reed is 2-1 with two complete games in 18.1 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts.

Up Next

Western Carolina faces Furman in the SoCon rubber match series finale Sunday at 2 p.m. Seniors Madison Armstrong, Hunter Gibbons, Cheyenne Mathews, and Shaina Reed will be honored prior to the game.  

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