Johnson City, Tenn. – Western Carolina baseball split its Southern Conference doubleheader at ETSU on Friday as pitching ruled the day for the victors at Thomas Stadium. Catamount starter Zebby Matthews dominated the series-opener in WCU's 3-0 victory while ETSU left-hander Colby Stuart stymied WCU's offense in game two as the Bucs evened the series with a 7-1 victory.
 
Junior Daniel Walsh doubled with a pair of RBI as both he, redshirt senior Luke Robinson, and junior Will Prater each finished a team-leading 3-for-8 in Friday's doubleheader. Prater added a pair of RBI on the day, o 7ne in both games.
 
Junior Daylan Nanny reached on a HBP in the first game and singled in the second to extend his reached base safely streak to 32 games, every game this season.
 
Game One – Western Carolina 3, ETSU 0:
Zebby Matthews tossed a four-hit shutout as Western Carolina made a three-run sixth inning stand-up in taking the front end of Friday's Southern Conference doubleheader at Thomas Stadium.
 
Matthews (6-1) struck out seven without a walk over the nine-inning start, facing just four over the minimum. After allowing a double and three singles over the opening five innings, the Cullowhee, N.C., native retired the final 12 batters in order with four, 1-2-3 innings as he did not allow a base runner after the fifth inning.
 
Scoreless through the first five innings, Daniel Walsh delivered a bases loaded double to left center to drive in both Luke Robinson and Justice Bigbie to put the Catamounts on the board. Will Prater then singled to left to tack on a third run for the 3-0 lead. It proved to be all Matthews and his defense would need to take the series-opener.
 
Three Catamounts posted two-hit games with Walsh doubling in a 2-for-4, two RBI outing with both Robinson and Pascanel Ferreras reaching base three times in 2-for-4 efforts with an HBP. Immanuel Wilder doubled in a 1-for-3 performance and was hit by a pitch giving him 44 in his WCU career, tying the school record.
 
ETSU starter Hunter Loyd (4-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings, matching Matthews with seven K's. Reliever Matthew Mercer struck out one over three innings of scoreless, two-hit relief.
 
The Bucs four hits were scattered between four batters with Jake Lyle (1-for-3) doubling with two outs in the second inning.
 
Game Two – ETSU 7, Western Carolina 1:
ETSU scored in bunches with timely hitting including a pair of two-run home runs in the first and third innings to even the series with a 7-1 victory in game two of the twinbill.
 
The Buccaneers grabbed a lead they'd never relinquish in the home half of the first inning as David Beam belted a two-run home run for the early 2-0 lead. ETSU took a five-run advantage with a three-spot in the bottom of the third including a run-scoring double and a two-run homer by Nathan Webb.
 
WCU trimmed the deficit back to four in the top of the fourth as Will Prater singled to left field to plate Daylan Nanny to make it 5-1. However, the rally was short-lived as ETSU tacked on two additional runs in the bottom of the fifth to provide the final tally.
 
Prater finished 2-for-4 to lead the Catamounts with the five remaining hits spread between five players as WCU was held to just seven singles.
 
WCU starter Ryan Mitschele (3-3), who was chased in the bottom of the third inning, took the loss for the Catamounts allowing five runs on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Relievers Jack Snyder and Nick Hyde both tallied two strikeouts out of the bullpen for the Catamounts.
 
ETSU pitcher Colby Stuart (5-1) struck out seven against two walks in limiting the Catamounts to one run on just six hits. Seth Chavez struck out the side against a pair of walk and a two-out single to strand the bases loaded in tossing a scoreless top of the ninth as the Bucs set up Saturday's series rubber match.
 
Three Bucs had two-hit efforts in game two with Webb finishing 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI while Ashton King and Bryce Hodge finishing 2-for-5 with King doubling.
 
The series finale is scheduled for Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Thomas Stadium. The game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).