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Western Carolina University

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Schedule

Full
Bailey Huneycutt
3
Winthrop WINTHROP 8-8
4
Winner Western Carolina WCU 2-1
Winthrop WINTHROP
8-8
3
Final
4
Western Carolina WCU
2-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Winthrop WINTHROP 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 4 1
Western Carolina WCU 0 0 1 0 1 2 X 4 8 0

W: Eilers, Jayme (1-0) L: ROY, B. (1-3)

9
Winner Winthrop WINTHROP 9-8
6
Western Carolina WCU 2-2
Winner
Winthrop WINTHROP
9-8
9
Final
6
Western Carolina WCU
2-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Winthrop WINTHROP 3 2 3 0 0 0 1 9 8 0
Western Carolina WCU 0 1 4 0 0 0 1 6 8 2

W: WATSON, M. (5-3) L: Shay, Kylie (1-0)

Game Recap: Softball | | Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Softball Splits Doubleheader with Winthrop in Home Opener

Catamounts combine for five home runs in pair of games

The Basics 
Score: Western Carolina 4, Winthrop 3; Winthrop 9, Western Carolina 6
Records: Western Carolina 2-2, Winthrop 9-8
Location: Catamount Softball Complex, Cullowhee, N.C.  
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball split its home-opening doubleheader with visiting Winthrop coming from behind to take game one 4-3 before dropping the nightcap 9-6 Tuesday at the Catamount Softball Complex. 
 
Western Carolina 4, Winthrop 3
Turning Point 
Trailing 3-1 after four innings, Western Carolina went on to score three unanswered runs to come from behind to take game one of the double-header.
 
How it Happened 
  • Winthrop jumped out early hitting a two-run home run in just the third at-bat after a walk was issued to the second batter Sabrina Shroades and Ashley Westbrook followed with a two-run home run. 
  •  In the third inning, Bailey Huneycutt put the Catamounts within one run with a solo home run over the left-field wall.
  •  Winthrop added to their lead with a solo home run of their own with one out in the fourth. 
  •  Junior Addie Pate's solo home run in the fifth inning cut the Eagles lead to 4-2. 
  •  Western Carolina's timely pinch-hit set up the pair of runs in the sixth inning that would give WCU the win. With one out, Kayla Brewer came into pinch hit and hit a home run over the left-field wall. With the Catamounts down one, 4-3, the Catamounts got a spark from senior Ashlyn Long who struck out but reached first on a dropped ball by the Eagles' catcher. Fellow senior Erica Hayes sent her home on an RBI double to left-center sending Long home for the game-winning run.
 
Inside the Box Score 
  • The two teams hit a combined five homeruns in the game – two by Winthrop and three by Western Carolina. All but one run in the game was scored courtesy of a home run. 
  • Freshman hurler Jayme Eilers earned her first start as a Catamount in game one against Winthrop also earning her first career win. She tossed a complete game giving up four hits, three earned runs, walked three and struck out seven. 
  • Western Carolina had eight hits in the game but stranded 10 runners on base. Winthrop left three. 
  • Senior Kylie Shay was 2-for-3 in the game with a walk. 
  • Huneycutt, Pate, and Brewer each hit a home run in the game. 
 
 
Winthrop 9, Western Carolina 6
Turning Point 
Winthrop exploded for eight runs throughout the first three innings putting the Catamounts in the role of playing catch-up the whole game. WCU had its chances and battled to the end but just couldn't get that timely hit to catch up to the Eagles. 
 
How it Happened 
  • Winthrop scored three runs in the first inning hitting three doubles in the inning.
  • Western Carolina cut the lead to two when Amber Parker hit a solo home run.
  • The Eagles built their lead to 8-1 scoring five runs over the second and third inning.  
  • The Catamounts exploded in the bottom of the third inning making the contest a game and cutting the Eagles' lead to 8-5. It all began with a one-out walk by Long. Hayes followed with a single and Huneycutt followed with an RBI single up the middle scoring Long. Hayes scored from a groundout RBI by Pate and Huneycutt earned a trip home thanks to a two-out home run by Shay's line-drive home run over the left-field wall. 
  • Winthrop hit an insurance run in the top of the seventh with their first homerun of the game to make the score 9-5.
  • Western Carolina attempted a rally and got close starting with a one-out double by Hayes. Huneycutt singled up the middle scoring Hayes making the score 9-6. A strikeout and a pop up by the next two batters ended the comeback attempt. 
 
Inside the Box Score 
  • Three Catamount pitchers saw action in the game beginning with Shay who got the start. She went 0.2 innings giving up four hits and three runs. Shay took the loss and falls to 0-1 on the year. 
  • With two outs in the first, senior Kinsey Liscio replaced Shay. She went 1.2 innings giving up five runs on three hits and struck out two.
  • Brewer came in and closed out the game tossing 4.2 innings allowing one run, one hit and struck out three. 
  • Each team had eight hits in the game.
  • Western Carolina had two costly errors in the game.
  • Each team hit three doubles in the game. Western Carolina had a pair of homeruns while Winthrop had one.
  • Hayes and Huneycutt each had two hits in the game. Huneycutt also had two RBI.
 
News & Notes 
  • Western Carolina has split the first in their first two doubleheaders of the season.
  • In the doubleheader with Winthrop, Western Carolina hit five homeruns. 
  • Brewer hit two homeruns in the doubleheader – one in each game.
  • Eilers became the second Catamount freshman this season to win her first career start. Fellow freshman Savannah Rice won her first start at Clemson Feb. 12 shutting out the Tigers 2-0. 
  • In the first four games of the season, Huneycutt is hitting .400 with hits, three runs scored, two homeruns and four RBI. 
  • The Catamounts will play its next 10 games on the road as WCU will compete in the Bulldog Classic Feb. 28-March 1 and the Memphis Tournament March 6-8. Western Carolina will return home March 10-11 for a three-game series with Radford. 
  • Long takes over sixth place in the WCU record books for most runs in a career with 93. She is now chasing fifth place held by former Catamount Jordan Fulton who ended her career with 100. The record is 110 runs scored set by former play Courtney Price. 
 Up Next 
Western Carolina hits the road to compete in the Bulldog Classic in Athens, Ga. hosted by the No. 14th ranked Georgia Bulldogs Feb. 28-March 1. 
 
For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @wcusoftball on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.
 
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