Cullowhee, N.C. – Zebby Matthews struck out four and scattered five base hits over 7.0 innings in the start and the Catamount offense erupted for 23 runs on 23 base hits on Friday afternoon as Western Carolina cruised to a 23-1 season-opening victory over Towson at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in the first-ever meeting between the two programs on the baseball diamond.
 
Among the 23 hits – WCU's top offensive output since recording 22 hits in a 24-4 win over UNCG back on March 30, 2019 – were 10 that went for extra bases with six doubles and four home runs including a pair of grand slam homers by juniors Daniel Walsh and Justice Bigbie. Combined, 12 of the 14 Catamounts that stood in the batter's box on Friday reached base safely.
 
Bigbie led seven Catamounts with multi-hit games with a 4-for-5 outing that included a double and the aforementioned four-run home run. Senior Luke Robinson doubled twice in a 3-for-3, four-RBI performance adding a pair of walks while Walsh matched Bigbie with five RBI in a 2-for-3 showing that included a second-inning sacrifice fly.
 
Junior Bryson Parks doubled twice in matching his career-best three hits in a 3-for-4 performance while freshman Zach Ketterman likewise doubled in a 3-for-7 showing. His first-year infield counterpart Pascanel Ferreras drew a game-high three walks, scoring four runs while also collecting his first collegiate base hit.
 
Matthews, a redshirt sophomore, surrendered just one run in the win coming on a second-inning solo home run, scoring his fourth victory in the Purple & Gold over the past two seasons. Redshirt junior reliever Tristen Campbell tossed a pair of hitless, scoreless relief innings for the Catamounts, working around a pair of walks with four strikeouts to match Matthews's effort.
 
Western Carolina (1-0) scored runs in seven of the eight innings it took swings on Friday afternoon including six multi-run frames. The Catamounts used a two-out rally in the bottom of the first to grab a lead they would never relinquish. Robinson coaxed a walk for the first of three-straight freebies as Bigbie was plunked and Walsh walked to load the bases. Junior Daylan Nanny, who collected three singles, bounced a high chopper to shortstop for an infield single where the belated throw to first sailed high allowing two more runs to score. Freshman Drew Needham later belted a two-run home run in his first collegiate plate appearance as WCU grabbed a 6-0 edge after one.
 
Needham finished with two base hits in a 2-for-5, two-RBI performance.
 
Towson's Billy Godrick provided the visitor's lone tally of the game in the top of the second on a solo home run to left field to make it 6-1 – but it would be as close as the Tigers would get as WCU hung a two-spot on the scoreboard in both the second and third innings before pushing across three runs in the fourth. The two grand slam home runs for WCU came in the sixth and eighth innings by Walsh and Bigbie.
 
Towson starter Josh Seils (0-1) suffered the loss as he was touched for 12 runs – eight of which were earned – on 15 hits over three innings of work, the first of four Tiger pitchers used. Reliever Matt Watters struck out a team-best three as Towson hurlers fanned seven on the day but issued a combined 11 walks and four hit batters that contributed to WCU's offense output.
 
Godrick, a transfer from Fordham, finished 2-for-3 with the homer in his first at-bat for the Tigers and tallied the only run scored. The three additional Tigers' hits came from three different players.
 
The four-game season-opening weekend series continues Saturday afternoon in Cullowhee with a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm. Live stats will be available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Pursuant to the current state of North Carolina Executive Orders for outdoor venue attendance and practicing physical distancing, a limited number of seats will be available for spectators at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium this spring with priority given to the parents of competing student-athletes. There will be no single-game ticket sales for home games. These policies are subject to change.