Greenville, S.C. – Ryan Mitschele struck out seven and Zach Franklin closed the game with five-consecutive K's as Western Carolina rode a three-run fourth inning to a 5-3 victory over Big XII-foe, Kansas, on Sunday afternoon at Fluor Field in both teams finale at the First Pitch Invitational.
 
Junior Daniel Walsh and sophomore Colin Bertsch both collected three base hits to highlight four Catamounts with multi-hit games. The duo both finished 3-for-4 on the day with Walsh collecting an RBI. Junior Daylan Nanny reached three times in a 2-for-3 outing, adding a walk and a RBI while Justice Bigbie also tallied a pair of singles, one driving home a run in the winning effort.
 
Sophomore Jalen Jones posted WCU's only extra base hit among the 12 recorded on the day, doubling home a run in the three-run fourth.
 
Starter Ryan Mitschele (2-1) matched a career-high with seven strikeouts over 6.2 innings of work to score the victory on the mound. The Statesville, N.C., surrendered three runs on six hits with three walks and a HBP, exiting with two away in the seventh inning. Redshirt sophomore Zach Franklin picked up his second save of the season, tossing the final two innings of two-hit scoreless relief. A product of Marion, N.C., Franklin struck out the final five hitters he faced to ice the victory.
 
Western Carolina (7-4) lit the scoreboard in the home half of the first inning as Walsh drove a third-consecutive WCU single through the right side allowing Bigbie to score from second base for the 1-0 advantage after one inning of play.
 
Both teams managed runs in the third as Kansas tied the game in the top of the frame, taking advantage of a walk and a RBI single up the middle to tie the game, but the would-be go-ahead runner was cut down at home plate on a relay throw by Will Prater. In the bottom of the inning, a one-out walk to Nanny was scored on an infield groundout by Immanuel Wilder for his team-leading 10th RBI of the season as WCU regained the lead, 2-1.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, WCU tacked on three insurance markers to grab a 5-1 lead. Bertsch singled in the infield ahead of Jalen Jones who laced a RBI double down the left field line for the third Catamount run. The rally continued as WCU loaded the bases on a Kitt Capell walk and a bunt single by Prater. Bigbie and Nanny followed with run-scoring singles to cap WCU's scoring.
 
With two out in the top of the seventh inning, the Jayhawks got a Zach Hanna single ahead of a two-run home run by Anthony Tulimero to cut the margin in half, 5-3. A third hit in the inning chased WCU's starter, Mitschele, with senior Jack Snyder tossing three pitches to induce the inning-ending fly ball to left to squelch the Kansas rally and preserve the lead.
 
Franklin then worked around a pair of singles in the top of the Kansas eighth, ending the frame with back-to-back strikeouts to strand two before punching out the side in the ninth to secure the WCU victory.
 
Kansas starter Eli Davis (2-1) suffered his first defeat of the season, allowing five runs on 11 hits in seven innings of work while striking out eight. Two Jayhawk relievers – Nathan Barry and Jonah Ulane – combined for three strikeouts in an inning of total work.
 
Eight Kansas hits were scattered between seven different players with first-baseman Dylan Ditzenberger collecting a two-hit game, finishing 2-for-5 with a RBI. Tulimero plated two on his homer with Casey Burnham finishing 1-for-3 with a double.
 
Both teams stranded eight base runners in the mid-morning start from the Upstate.
 
Western Carolina returns home in the mid-week, hosting rival Appalachian State on Wednesday, March 4 at 4:00 pm at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. Wednesday's game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required).