Cullowhee, N.C. – Zebby Matthews struck out a career-high 12 batters and Daniel Walsh drove in four runs on a pair of extra-base hits as Western Carolina knocked St. John's from the ranks of the unbeaten on Friday night, scoring in bunches to power through the Red Storm 11-1 in the nonconference series opener at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Just a couple of hours after receiving the Southern Conference's Pitcher of the Month accolade for February, Matthew (3-1) went a season-long eight innings to out-duel St. John's starter Nick Mondak (2-1) after the two went head-to-head nearly matching the strikeout totals through five innings. Matthews limited the Red Storm to one run while scattering five hits, working around a pair of walks with his 12 K's. The Cullowhee, N.C., native retired the Red Storm in order in four innings. Catamount reliever Nick Hyde struck out one in a hitless, scoreless ninth inning out of the bullpen.
 
Five of WCU's 10 hits on Friday went for extra bases including three doubles, a triple, and a two-run home run by Daylan Nanny, his first round-tripper of the season. Walsh finished 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the fifth inning and a two-run triple in the seventh, extending his hitting streak to eight-straight and his reached-base safely streak to 14-consecutive. Luke Robinson was likewise 2-for-4 with a single and a two-run double in WCU's four-run fifth while Nanny added a pair of walks, scoring twice.
 
Justice Bigbie (2-for-4) singled twice to stretch his reached base safely streak to 23-straight games with a pair of singles and a walk, while Seth Graves doubled in a 2-for-3 showing, also drawing a free pass to reach for a third time in the win.
 
St. John's (7-1) grabbed the early lead in the third inning, capitalizing on back-to-back two-out hits by Jake Lazzaro and a run-scoring double by Ryan Hogan with Lazzaro sliding into home ahead of the relay throw home. The lead held until the Catamounts managed a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Pascanel Ferreras drew a two-out walk after Graves reached on a single before Robinson doubled down the first baseline to push two runs across. Bigbie then singled through left side ahead of Walsh who doubled to the gap in left-center field to cap the four-run inning.
 
With the three-run deficit still in place, St. John's threatened in the top of the seventh as Bianchi drove a two-out single up the middle ahead of Carson Bartels who doubled to left field. However, the inning came to an abrupt halt when Vinny Bianchi was thrown out trying to score as Bigbie's throw to Ferreras was relayed home where Robinson applied the tag to preserve the 4-1 lead.
 
The Catamounts then broke the game open against the Red Storm bullpen, capitalizing on a hit batter, a walk and a wild pitch before Walsh tripled to right-center field. Four additional wild pitches, two allowing runners to score added to the five-run rally as WCU stretched its advantage to 9-1.
 
Nanny capped scoring with a towering two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the eighth inning.
 
Mondak was saddled with the loss despite striking out eight over 5.0 innings. He surrendered four runs on six hits with a pair of walks. The St. John's bullpen allowed the remaining seven runs over the final three innings with six walks, two hit batters and six wild pitches.
 
The five St. John's hits were scattered between five different players, three going for extra bases on doubles by Lazarro (1-for-3), Bartels (1-for-3), and David Glancy (1-for-3). Lazzaro and Glancy both reached base twice in the loss adding walks.
 
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday evening with a 5 p.m., first pitch. Fans can follow the game with live stats through CatamountSports.com.