Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate pushed across six runs in the home half of the eighth inning on Wednesday evening to break a 3-3 tie as the Spartans handed Western Carolina its first loss of the 2022 season, 9-3, in nonconference action at Harley Park. The loss halted a six-game series win streak for WCU over USC Upstate.
Nate Stocum delivered a run-scoring triple to right centerfield to tie the game at two and eventually scored on the backend of a delayed double steal between him and
Bryson Parks in the top half of the sixth inning as the Catamounts managed to pull in front, 3-2. However, the Spartans responded with seven-unanswered runs including tying the game in the seventh inning ahead of the decisive six-run eighth.
Stocum and his sophomore classmate
Pascanel Ferreras both collected two hits apiece in 2-for-4 efforts to pace the Catamounts with Stocum recording WCU's lone extra-base hit with the RBI triple. Senior
Will Prater finished 1-for-3 with an RBI on an infield groundout and a run scored, joining Stocum and lead-off batter
Zach Ketterman as those lighting the scoreboard.
WCU twice built leads with markers in the visitor portion of innings but was unable to sustain the offense it enjoyed over the four-game sweep in its season-opening series, finishing with seven hits. The Catamounts went ahead 1-0 in the top of the third only to see Upstate rally with runs in the home half of the inning to tie the game before taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
In the sixth inning, Prater singled through the right side to start the rally with Stocum belting the first pitch of his at-bat to the gap in right centerfield allowing the speedy senior to circle the paths and score. With a runner at third,
Bryson Parks drew a one-out walk to put runners at the corners. Parks later took off to steal second that allowed Stocum to race home on the throw down to put the Catamounts ahead, 3-2.
However, a one-out single by USC Upstate's Noah Sullivan was followed by a run-scoring base knock by outfielder Noah Rabon to tie the game a three through six complete.
Consecutive singles and one of WCU's three errors on the day on a would-be sacrifice bunt attempt loaded the bases for the Spartans to open the home half of the eighth. After a run-scoring single up the middle by Noah Myers, the decisive blow came on a three-run double down the left-field line by Devin Buckner on his only hit of the night. Upstate scored two more runs on wild pitches to provide the final tally.
Catamount reliever
Carson Lowder (1-1) was tagged with the loss as the fifth of six pitchers used by WCU in the game with five combining for seven strikeouts. Redshirt freshman
Davis Mortland struck out two in 2.0 innings of his collegiate debut with
Davis Tyndall also fanning a pair in closing out the eighth inning.
USC Upstate's Noah Sullivan (1-0) tallied the win out of the bullpen, striking out two over an inning and two-thirds of hitless, scoreless work. Starter Trey Miller surrendered all three WCU runs coming on six hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Three Spartans (3-1) posted two-hit games in Myers, Rabon, and Sullivan, with Buckner plating three on his eighth-inning double.
Western Carolina (4-1) returns home to host the Illinois State Redbirds (1-2) for a three-game set at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The first-ever series between the two on the baseball diamond is scheduled to open Friday at 4:00 p.m., continuing at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and concluding with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).
