Cullowhee, N.C. – Senior Bryson Parks delivered a walk-off RBI single up the middle to plate classmate Will Prater as Western Carolina baseball rallied for a series-evening, 9-8 victory over visiting Stony Brook in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Parks capped his three-hit, two-RBI outing by driving a full-count pitch back up the middle to allow his longtime friend, Prater, to race around third and slide head-first into home plate with the game-winning run. Prater drew a one-out walk before moving into scoring position on an errant pitch ahead of Parks' base knock that set off a wild on-field celebration as the Catamounts snapped a six-game seasonal slide.
 
The series rubber-match in game three of the nonconference series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon with the first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Fans can follow the game with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com and through updates on social media through Twitter using the handle @CatamountBSB.
 
WCU (5-6) overcame an error and mistake-filled top of the first inning that saw Stony Brook score twice with just one base hit, capitalizing on a hit batter and three errors. In the home half, consecutive singles by Prater and Parks set up the first run as Prater swiped home after a snap throw from home to first to put the Catamounts on the board. With two outs, Drew Needham then lifted a two-run home run to right field that cut through the gusting wind to put the home squad ahead, 3-2, after one.
 
The Catamounts stretched the lead to two after freshman Brandon Butterworth – who was making his first collegiate start – collected his first career extra-base hit with a double before catcher Tom Brosnahan singled to left to make it 4-2 through two.
 
Stony Brook (2-7) responded with six-straight runs between the third and sixth innings including a three-run third, two-spot in the fourth, and its eighth run of the day in the sixth inning to double-up the Catamounts, 8-4.
 
WCU's rally started in the home half of the sixth inning as Parks scored Seth Graves on an RBI single through the right side and Ferreras driving in Prater on a sacrifice fly. After being retired in order in the seventh, Ferreras again delivered a run-scoring hit with a two-out double to left to score Graves and cut the deficit to one, 8-7. Then, in the ninth inning, Jordan Starkes reached on a one-out single before sliding in under a tag to steal second base. With Starkes at third based, sophomore Nate Stocum then drove one through the wind to the fence in right where right-fielder Adam Kuzmicki pulled it back, but the sacrifice fly allowed the game-tying run to cross as Starkes tagged and scored, sending the game to extras.
 
Starkes finished with three hits in a 3-for-4 effort to join Parks (3-for-5), Prater (2-for-5), and Graves (2-for-5) as four Catamounts collected multi-hit games.
 
While the Catamount offense came alive late in the game, it was the combined work of the bullpen and the WCU defense that enabled the comeback. Relievers Jacob Corn and Nick Hyde stemmed the tide, combining for eight strikeouts – six by Corn and two by Hyde – over three innings apiece. Corn limited the Seawolves to a run on four hits while Hyde tossed three perfect relief innings. Tristen Campbell (2-0), the fifth pitcher used by the Catamounts, earned the victory by working around.
 
Junior Eric Wallington earned the start, striking out three against three walks in 2.1 innings of work with freshman Lucas Hartman recording two-thirds of an inning of work out of the bullpen.
 
WCU's defense made numerous tremendous plays including the sophomore left-side in third-baseman Zach Ketterman and shortstop Pascanel Ferreras that helped WCU limit Stony Brook to just one run on three hits from the sixth inning on. The Catamounts retired the Seawolves in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Stony Brook reliever Kyle Johnson (0-1) was tagged with the loss in just a third of an inning, recording a walk and a strikeout while giving up a run on the one hit by Parks. Reliever Brandon Lashley was solid out of the bullpen, striking out three over 6.2 innings after freshman starter Colton Book was chased after 2.1 innings after allowing four runs on six hits.
 
Seawolves first baseman Brett Paulsen doubled twice in a 3-for-5 effort with Evan Giordano driving in a team-best three RBI in a two-hit effort. Catcher Shane Paradine and outfielder Derek Yalon also tallied two hits as Stony Brook finished with 13 hits against 14 by the Catamounts.
 
The nonconference series – the first meetings between the Catamounts and Seawolves – concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.