Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina swept both ends of Friday's Southern Conference opening doubleheader against The Citadel, taking the league-opener, 12-8, before outslugging the Bulldogs for an 11-6 victory in the nightcap.
 
Returning to action for the first time since mid-March, Western Carolina (13-4, 2-0 SoCon) ran its seasonal winning streak to eight-straight
 
Junior Justice Bigbie extended his reached base safely streak to 26-consecutive games on Friday, finishing 3-for-7 with five runs scored and three RBI. Bigbie added a pair of walks and an HBP. After going hitless in five trips in game one, Luke Robinson finished 4-for-4 with a solo home run and three RBI in the second game. Junior Will Prater finished 6-for-10 with five RBI, including a run-scoring triple in the two-game sweep, while Daylan Nanny was 5-for-10 with three doubles.
 
Game three of the SoCon series is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday in Cullowhee. However, due to the threat of inclement weather, fans are encouraged to keep check through social media on Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB) and online at CatamountSports.com for any weather-related schedule changes.
 
Game One Recap:
Spurred by a second grand slam home run by freshman Pascanel Ferreras and a solo homer by Justice Bigbie in the third, Western Carolina jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opener only to see The Citadel rally back to tie the game at six in the fifth inning. The Catamounts regained a six-run edge over the subsequent three frames and held on for the four-run, 12-8 victory in the opener.
 
Ferreras drove in four in his lone hit of the game, with Bigbie and Daylan Nanny also plating a pair of runs in two-hit outings. Freshman Nate Stocum went 3-for-3 with a double, and Will Prater tripled in driving in a run for the home squad.
 
Zebby Matthews (3-1) scored the victory in the opener, striking out three over 5.0 innings. Jack Snyder tossed a hitless, scoreless inning to get the game to closer Zach Franklin, who tallied his second save of the year, striking out three over 3.0 relief innings.
 
For The Citadel, Tyler Corbitt put the Bulldogs on the board with a two-run homer in the second inning as a part of a three-hit performance to lead five with multi-hit games and Crosby Jones hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to provide the final tally.
 
Reliever Zach Jones (0-2) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs on five hits in two innings of work.
 
Game Two Recap:
Western Carolina scored runs in six of the eight innings it took swings in Friday's nightcap, outslugging The Citadel 15-to-13 in claiming the five-run victory, 11-6.
 
The Catamounts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second game before consecutive run-scoring doubles by the Bulldogs in the second inning tied the game at two apiece. Luke Robinson belted a line-drive home run down the right field line to give the Catamounts the lead for good in the third inning with a three-run fifth and a three-run eighth distancing WCU in front for the victory.
 
Robinson and Will Prater both collected four hits apiece while Daylan Nanny had three hits including a pair of doubles and three runs driven in.
 
WCU starter Gavin Mortenson was hit by a line drive just one out shy of qualifying for the victory, striking out five over 4.2 innings. He exited the game in the fifth inning due to injury. Reliever Jacob Corn (1-0) fanned four in two innings to earn the win, scattering three hits and allowing three runs – only two of which were earned. Eric Wallington struck out one in a third of an inning with Davis Tyndall tossing the final two frames in the winning effort.
 
Bulldog starter Cameron Reeves (2-2) took the loss, allowing six runs over 4.2 innings with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. Reliever Devin Beckley struck out five against two walks in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen. Noah Mitchell led three Bulldogs with multi-hit games at the plate going 3-for-5 with two RBI.