Cullowhee, N.C. – Both teams combined for 18 runs over the final third of Saturday's nonconference meeting between Illinois State and Western Carolina at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium as the Redbirds broke open a 3-1 game with a pair of home runs in a six-run seventh and held on to down the Catamounts 14-8 to win game two of the three-game series.
 
Illinois State scored 11 runs over the final three frames with WCU responding with seven in the home half. The teams combined to strand 27 runners over the nine-inning affair with 15 by Illinois State and 12 for the Catamounts. Eight of WCU's hits went for extra bases including six doubles and a pair of home runs while Illinois State had six extra base hits among the 14 hits it collected.
 
Sophomore Drew Needham led three Catamounts with multi-hit games, doubling twice and hitting his second home run of the series in a 3-for-4 effort with two RBI. Transfer James Hinson, seeing his first action since opening weekend, finished 2-for-3 with three RBI after entering as a pinch hitter. Needham and Hinson went for back-to-back home runs in keying a three-run home half of the seventh inning.
 
Also, for WCU lead-off batter Zach Ketterman finished 2-for-4 with a double, with Pascanel Ferreras, Seth Graves, and Will Prater each plating runs on doubles.
 
Jake McCaw belted a three-run home run and Nick Gile hit a two-run shot in the six-run seventh inning as the two finished 2-for-4, two of the five two-hit efforts for the Redbirds. JP Gauthier and Tyler Woltman both also finished 2-for-4 with three RBI with Aidan Huggins finishing 2-for-5.
 
Catamount starter Eric Wallington (0-1) took the loss for the Catamounts, surrendering three runs on just two hits with a strikeout against three walks. The Asheville, N.C., native was the first of 11 WCU pitchers to toe the rubber on Saturday, tossing a long 3.1 innings. Reliever Tristen Campbell struck out two over 2.2 innings out of the bullpen. Catamount pitching issued 13 walks and a pair of hit batters in the defeat.
 
Sean Sinisko (1-1) earned the victory for the Redbirds, working around a pair of walks with four strikeouts while holding WCU to a run while scattering four hits over six innings of work. Five relievers secured the series-clinching victory for Illinois State.
 
The series is slated to conclude on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium, weather permitting. Keep up-to-date with any schedule changes through social media on Twitter, using the handles @Catamounts or @CatamountBSB.