Cullowhee, N.C. – Three Catamounts collected four hits apiece, led by freshman Pascanel Ferreras with a double and a two-run home run, but third-ranked Tennessee scored in eight of the nine innings on Tuesday night to outlast upset-minded Western Carolina, 14-12, in the backend of a nonconference home-and-home at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Five Catamounts finished with multi-hit games as WCU outslugged the Volunteers, 19-to-16. Both teams finished with five doubles aside, with the Vols hitting two home runs to just one by Ferreras for the Catamounts. Ferreras (4-for-5) reached base five times with a walk, a pair of singles, a double, and the homer to left-field in the sixth inning, collecting a team-best four RBI.
 
Junior Will Prater stayed hot at the plate for the Purple & Gold, doubling in a 4-for-5 performance with an RBI and a run scored, while classmate Justice Bigbie (4-for-6) singled four times with a pair of runs driven in on a ninth-inning knock. Junior outfielder Seth Graves singled twice in a two-hit outing, and Luke Robinson doubled in the final frame while scoring two runs for the Catamounts. Freshman Zach Ketterman also drilled a two-run double off the fence in right field for WCU.
 
Junior Daylan Nanny extended his hitting streak to 14-straight games with a two-RBI double in the first inning, finishing 2-for-6 with two runs scored, one on a double-steal that saw him race home. The Plainfield, Ind., native stretched his reached base safely streak to 26-straight games, each game played this season.
 
Nanny legged out his team-leading 11th double of the season in the home half of the first inning, driving in two runs to give the Catamounts the early advantage on Tuesday night. He eventually scored WCU's third run of the opening frame, racing home on a double-steal between him and Prater. The lead held until the fourth inning as the Volunteers used a pair of solo markers in the second and third innings to pull within a run when Max Ferguson drove a two-run single through the right side to put Tennessee in front 4-3.
 
Ferreras doubled home Ketterman in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at four. Then, with the Vols leading 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Ferreras belted a line drive home run over the wall in left field to tie the game at seven.
 
Tennessee (28-6) took the lead for good in the top of the seventh inning by scoring four unearned runs, each coming with two out in the frame. Ferguson plated a pair of runs on a single with ETSU graduate transfer Jackson Greer pushing two runs across with his first of two doubles on the day as the Vols went up 11-7. WCU rallied back in the home half of the inning on Ketterman's two-run double and a run-scoring single by Ferraras to make it 11-10.
 
Three insurance runs in the top of the eighth and ninth gave the Vols a 14-10 lead heading into the home half of the ninth inning. With two aboard and two-out, Bigbie singled through the right side to plate a pair to close the Catamounts back to within a two, 14-12, with a force play at second ending the game and WCU's upset bid.
 
In the high-scoring see-saw affair, reliever Corey Bright (0-1) was the tough-luck loser, surrendering four unearned runs in the decisive seventh inning. Second-year freshman Carson Lowder struck out one against a pair of walks in a solid four-inning start, scattering six hits while surrendering four runs – only three of which were earned. Nick Hyde, the fifth pitcher used by WCU, struck out two in two innings of work.
 
Tennessee reliever Redmond Walsh (3-1) was credited with the victory despite allowing three earned runs on three hits, striking out two in an inning of work between the sixth and seventh innings. Closer Kirby Connell picked up his second save, recording the final out in just a third of an inning.
 
Ferguson plated six runs in a 4-for-4 performance that included a home run, adding a walk, and two runs scored to lead the Volunteers. Jake Rucker (3-for-6) and Kyle Booker (3-for-3, BB) both finished with three-hit games, while Jordan Beck hit a solo home run in the eighth inning as a part of his two-hit game.
 
Western Carolina (18-8) continues its eight-game homestand by hosting the Samford Bulldogs (21-12), which saw its eight-game winning streak snapped in a loss at Alabama on Tuesday. The three-game league series is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium, with each game set to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).