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Schedule

Full
Lindsay Perillo
MIKE SLADE
0
Furman FUR 18-24
2
Winner Western Carolina WCU 23-21
Furman FUR
18-24
0
Final
2
Western Carolina WCU
23-21
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Furman FUR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
Western Carolina WCU 1 0 1 0 0 0 X 2 3 0

W: Eilers, Jayme (11-10) L: Sierra Tufts (8-11)

2
Furman FUR 18-25
6
Winner Western Carolina WCU 24-21
Furman FUR
18-25
2
Final
6
Western Carolina WCU
24-21
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Furman FUR 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 4 1
Western Carolina WCU 0 1 0 2 3 0 X 6 6 0

W: Rice, Savannah (11-9) L: Bailey Tanner (6-6)

Game Recap: Softball | | Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Strong Pitching and Timely Hits Leads Catamounts to Sweep of Furman

Final home game Sunday; seniors honored prior to the game

The Basics 
Score: Western Carolina 2, Furman 0; Western Carolina 6, Furman 2
Records: Western Carolina 24-21, 11-2 SoCon; Furman 7-6 SoCon
Location: Cullowhee, N.C., Catamount Softball Complex
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Strong pitching, stellar defense, timely hitting, and home runs propelled Western Carolina softball to a 2-0, 6-2 doubleheader sweep of Furman Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex in a key Southern Conference match-up. 
 
Western Carolina 2, Furman 0
 
Turning Point 
Western Carolina used timely hitting and a three-hit shutout by Catamount sophomore hurler Jayme Eilers to earn the game one victory over Furman. 
 
How it Happened 
  • With two outs in the first inning, hitting powerhouse Bailey Huneycutt drew a two-out walk followed by a free pass to Kailey McNeil. The pair of walks came back to bite Furman when a shot to the Paladin third baseman dribbled up her leg allowing Myra Twitty to reach first on the error and Huneycutt to score after an interference call on the Furman third baseman. 
  • The Catamounts added a key second run at the bottom of the third. Freshman Morgan Maddaluna beat out a throw for a single to lead off the inning. After Lindsay Perillo laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Maddaluna to second and Huneycutt was intentionally walked, McNeil hit an RBI single through the left side to score Maddaluna. 
  • The Paladins attempted a rally at the bottom of the seventh. Riley Ludlam led off the inning with a double and with two outs Kaitlyn Laudick singled and each moved up a base to put runners at second and third. With the go-ahead run at the plate, pinch hitter Shelby Basso struck out to end the inning and the game. 
 
  Inside the Box Score 
  • Sophomore hurler Jayme Eilers tossed a three-hit shutout to improve to 11-10 on the season. She fanned nine batters in the game and had a strikeout to end six of the seven innings pitched. 
  • The Catamounts and Paladins each had three hits in the game. 
  • Huneycutt drew two walks in the game. 
 

 
Western Carolina 6, Furman 2
 
Turning Point 
The Catamounts used three home runs and capitalized on a Furman error to secure the win scoring a run in the second, two in the fourth, and three in the fifth. 
 
How it Happened 
  • After a scoreless first inning, the Catamounts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. For the second-straight game, WCU scored on a Furman error. Kailey McNeil led off the inning with a single up the middle and promptly stole second. With one out, Jeralynn Wells reached on a Paladin error by the third baseman and McNeil came around to score. 
  • The Catamounts jumped out to a 3-0 lead with back-to-back home runs by Huneycutt and McNeil. 
  • Furman made it interesting in the top of the fifth with a home run, their first run of the series, to cut the Catamount lead to 3-1. 
  • Western Carolina wasted no time pulling ahead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Anna Paige Pelfrey led off the inning with a walk and Maddaluna had a bunt single to put runners on first and second. Perillo came up and took an 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall for the three-run shot. 
  • Ludlam hit a lead-off home run for Furman in the top of the seventh, but Perillo's three-run home run made it a run the Catamounts could afford. Besides Hana Hashioka being hit by a pitch with two outs, the Paladins went down quietly after the home run.  
 
 Inside the Box Score 
  • Sophomore Savannah Rice tossed a complete game earning her team-leading 11th win on the season (11-9). She allowed two runs on four hits and struck out four. 
  • The Catamounts had six hits in the game.
  • Huneycutt and McNeil each had two hits in the game. 
 
News & Notes 
  • Bailey Huneycutt extended her on-base streak to 28 consecutive games as she remains in third place in the WCU record books for most games reaching base. 
  • Western Carolina is now 16-2 at home this season and has won 14-straight at home – a new program record for consecutive home wins. 
  • The Catamounts won its eighth doubleheader of the season.
  • Huneycutt now has 14 home runs this season which continues to lead the Southern Conference and ranks tied for fourth in the WCU record books. She now ranks fifth in the WCU record books for most home runs in a season. For her career, she has 22 home runs which are good for fifth place in the Catamount record books. 
  • The 11 SoCon wins this season are the second-most by the Catamounts since the program began in 2006. In the inaugural year, that team had 16 conference victories. 
  • In her last two starts, Eilers has tossed two shutouts, with a 0.00 ERA, with just three hits in 14 innings and striking out 22. 
  • With the win in game one, Western Carolina halted a two-game losing streak to Furman. It is the first time since 2013 the Catamounts have taken the conference doubleheader against the Paladins. 
  • Eilers has 133 strikeouts this season which moves her into eighth place in the WCU record books for strikeouts in a season. For her career, she has 156 strikeouts which rank ninth in the Catamount record books. 
 
Up Next 
Western Carolina closes out the home portion of its season Sunday hosting Furman at 1 p.m. in the final game of the three-game series. Seniors Danielle Chapman, Kailey McNeil, and Addie Pate will be honored before the game. 
 
 For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.
 
 
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