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Schedule

Full
Kailey McNeil and Myra Twitty hat tap
SoConPhotos.com
0
Chattanooga UTC 13-24
5
Winner Western Carolina WCU 26-24
Chattanooga UTC
13-24
0
Final
5
Western Carolina WCU
26-24
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Chattanooga UTC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Western Carolina WCU 2 0 3 0 0 0 X 5 4 0

W: Eilers, Jayme (13-12) L: Parrott (6-8)

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

Catamounts Blank Chattanooga to Advance in SoCon Championship

Will face No. 1 seed UNCG Friday

The Basics 
Score: Western Carolina 5, Chattanooga 0
Records: Western Carolina 26-24, Chattanooga 13-24
Location: Greensboro, N.C., UNCG Softball Stadium

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
 
GREENSBORO, N.C. – First Team All-Southern Conference selection Jayme Eilers tossed a two-hit shutout helping guide No. 2 seed Western Carolina to a 5-0 blanking of No. 3 seed Chattanooga Thursday on the opening day of the 2021 Southern Conference Softball Championship at the UNCG Softball Stadium.   
 
Turning Point 
Western Carolina scored multiple runs in the first inning and third inning and rode the brilliant performance by Eilers in the circle. 
 
How it Happened 
  • The Catamounts took command of the game early plating two runs. With two outs, SoCon Player of the Year junior shortstop Bailey Huneycutt drew a walk and came home courtesy of the two-RBI home run by Kailey McNeil. 
  • In the bottom of the third, senior right fielder Addie Pate got the Catamounts going with a lead-off double. Huneycutt and McNeil drew two-out back-to-back walks to load the bases. Myra Twitty took advantage of the situation she was given blasting a two-RBI single up the middle scoring Pate and Huneycutt. All-freshman selection Jeralynn Wells scored the third run of the inning with an RBI single down the left-field line. 
 
 Inside the Box Score 
  • Sophomore hurler Eilers carried a no-hitter into the fifth before Reagan Armour dropped a blooper into shallow right field. She earned the win for Western Carolina, going the distance and striking out seven improving to 13-12 on the year.  
  • The Catamounts four hits in the game with two of the four for extra bases.  
  • Chattanooga had just two hits. 
 
News & Notes 
  • Western Carolina earned a win over Chattanooga for the first time in the SoCon Championship. Before today's victory, the Catamounts were 0-4 against the Mocs in the tournament. 
  • It is the fifth time in the program's 15-year history the Catamounts have won the opening game of the SoCon Championship. It is also the first time WCU won the opening game as a top-three seed. WCU lost its first game in the tournament as the No. 1 seed in 2006 and lost the opening round game as the No. 3 seed in 2016. 
  • With the 2-0 win against Chattanooga, in the regular season on Mar. 28, the Catamounts have shutout the Mocs in back-to-back games. 
  • The shutout in the opening game of the SoCon Championship is the third time in program history WCU has kept an opponent from scoring in the SoCon Championship. 
  • Eilers ends the regular season with 173 strikeouts on the season which moves her into fifth place in the WCU record books for strikeouts in a season. 
  • McNeil hit her ninth home run of the season.  
 
Up Next 
Western Carolina moves into the semi-finals and will face No. 1 seed UNCG at 12:30 p.m. Friday. The winner will move onto the championship game on Saturday while the loser will face Mercer at 3:00 p.m.
 
 For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.
 
 
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