Cullowhee, N.C. – Stony Brook scored three-unanswered runs including a two-spot in the top of the fifth inning and limited Western Carolina to just one base hit in Sunday afternoon's rubber match, upending the Catamounts 3-2 to claim the best-of-three nonconference series at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
Nate Stocum collected WCU's lone hit on an RBI single to right field to open the game's scoring in the second inning.
Tom Brosnahan capped the scoring by laying down a perfect sacrifice bunt to score
Jordan Starkes from third as the Catamounts took the early 2-0 lead. A half-inning later, Stony Brook cut the deficit in half as Shane Paradine drove a single through the right side to make it 2-1.
The Seawolves (3-7) tallied the game-winning runs in the fifth inning, capitalizing on a pair of WCU miscues in the frame. David Alleva reached on a fielding error on a tough infield play at first which was followed by back-to-back strikeouts, the first of which coming as the home plate umpire ruled that Matt Miceli stuck his elbow into the path of a full-count breaking ball. The Catamounts were nearly out of the inning on a swinging third strike, but a passed ball allowed Paradine to reach to load the bases. The next batter, Evan Giordano, then laced a two-run single into left field to plate two runs for the 3-2 score.
Giordano collected two of Stony Brook's four hits with Idris Carter tallying the only extra-base hit of the game on a third-inning double that resulted in the Seawolves' first run.
On the day, WCU was unable to take advantage of seven walks, a hit batter, and a pair of SBU errors in suffering the loss. Compounding the offensive woes were a couple of base-running miscues that heightened the struggles against the SBU pitching. After delivering the run-scoring single in the second inning, Stocum was cut down trying to stretch it to second base after the throw came home. In the fourth inning, WCU ran into the third out at home plate as Starkes, who had reached on an error and stole second base, tried to tag-up and score on a short flyball to right by Brosnahan but was caught at the plate on the assist from right-fielder Derek Yalon.
WCU stranded two runners at first and second in the fifth inning and only managed one base runner after the fifth inning on a Stocum walk in the bottom of the ninth inning. Both teams left six runners on base in the series finale.
Catamount starter
Gavin Mortenson (1-2) was saddled with the loss after being tagged with all three Stony Brook runs over 4.2 innings of work with just one earned. The Summerfield, N.C., native struck out four against three walks before giving way to the bullpen.
Dawson Elder struck out three in an inning and a third of one-hit, scoreless relief with
Tristen Campbell striking out two against a walk over a three-inning relief effort.
Stony Brook's Josh O'Neill (1-1) earned the victory despite allowing both Catamount runs while walking six with a strikeout. Brendan Pattermann earned the four-inning save, working around a walk with a strikeout of hitless, scoreless relief out of the bullpen. He retired WCU in order in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, tallying 11-straight outs before the Stocum ninth-inning walk.
After playing 10 of its first 12 games at home, Western Carolina (5-7) is scheduled to travel to the Palmetto State for its next four games as its next five games will be played away from home. The Catamounts are slated to play Presbyterian (7-5) in Clinton, S.C., on Wednesday at 4 p.m., before playing in the 2022 First Pitch Invitational hosted by Michigan State at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, S.C., this weekend. WCU faces Kansas (Fri., March 11), the host Spartans (Sat., March 12), and Cincinnati (Sun., March 13) in a trio of nonconference games.