The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 6, Presbyterian 2; Presbyterian 2, Western Carolina 1
Records: Western Carolina 18-26; Presbyterian 27-11
Location: Cullowhee, N.C. | Catamount Softball Complex
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Senior shortstop Bailey Huneycutt tied the program record for home runs in a career (35) as Western Carolina softball split its doubleheader with Presbyterian Tuesday winning the first game 6-2 and dropping the nightcap 2-1 at the Catamount Softball Complex.
Western Carolina 6, Presbyterian 2
Turning Point
Western Carolina scored in five of the six innings it was at the plate and only gave up two runs to the Blue Hose.
How it Happened
- Huneycutt hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first to give the Catamounts the early 1-0 lead.
- Presbyterian tied the game in the top of the second off an RBI single.
- The Catamounts would reclaim the lead for good in the bottom of the second. Jeralynn Wells led off the inning by getting a free base after she was hit by a pitch. With one out, Claudia Riddle drew a walk and was out on a fielder's choice allowing Lindsay Perillo to reach first and Wells to move to third. Junior Brooklynn Brewington hit a base-clearing triple scoring Wells and Perillo and scooping up two RBI.
- In the third, Huneycutt led off the inning with a walk and promptly stole second. With two outs, Wells doubled to left center scoring Huneycutt and earning an RBI.
- The Blue Hose cut the Catamount lead in half, 4-2, with a lead-off home run to open the fourth.
- With one out in the fifth, Twitty drew a walk and with two outs she moved to third on a Wells single. A double steal by Wells and Twitty allowed Twitty to steal home.
- The Catamounts pulled off its second double steal of the game in the sixth inning. Riddle led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Perillo. A perfect bunt single by Brewington got her on first base and pushed Riddle to third. Brewington pulled off back-to-back steals and in the ensuing chaos, Riddle stole home.
Inside the Box Score
- Rookie hurler Tessa Juett got the start and tossed a complete game. She allowed two runs on five hits, walked two, and struck out one. Juett improves to 4-9 on the season.
- Riddle got her first hit of the season in the game.
- Western Carolina had seven hits.
- Brewington was 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI.
- Wells had a pair of hits in the contest with a run scored and an RBI.
Presbyterian 1, Western Carolina 1
Turning Point
In a low-scoring game, Presbyterian overcame a 1-0 deficit to take advantage of two Catamount errors to score the pair of game-winning runs in the top of the sixth.
How it Happened
- Huneycutt broke open a scoreless game with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.
- With one out in the sixth, the Blue Hose's Bailey Watkins broke up Savannah Rice's no-hitter with a single.
- The single became an avalanche that set up the two runs that led to Presbyterian's win.
- After Watkins' single, back-to-back errors by WCU allowed Blue Hose to reach base and for the first Presbyterian run to score and tie the game 1-1. The Blue Hose followed with a fielder's choice RBI for the go-ahead run.
Inside the Box Score
- Junior pitcher Savannah Rice took the hard-luck loss even though she pitched a gem. She had a no-hitter through 5.1 innings and did not allow an earned run and gave up just one hit. She struck out six and sat the Blue Hose batters down in order in five of the seven innings. She falls to 10-11 on the season.
- The Catamounts had five hits in the game and stranded eight runners on base.
- Riddle was 2-for-3 in the game.
News & Notes
- Huneycutt's 35 career home runs are tied for the most home runs in the Catamount record books. She is tied with former Catamount Hunter Gibbons.
- Rice's 133 strikeouts this season are good for ninth in the WCU record books for strikeouts in a season.
- Brewington has had multiple-hit games in five of the last eight contests.
- As a team, Western Carolina has 43 home runs on the season and needs two home runs to move up from fifth to third place in the WCU record books.
- Brewington now has 24 stolen bases on the season. The Catamount single-season record-holder now moves into first in the conference for most stolen bases on the year.
- Western Carolina has won three of its last five games. In the last five games, the Catamounts have scored 39 runs.
- WCU has hit at least one home run in the last six games.
- As a team, Western Carolina has stolen 55 bases this season and ranks second in the WCU record books. The 2022 club needs five stolen bases to break the program record of 59 set by the 2010 team.
- Brewington hit the first triple of her Catamount career in game one against Presbyterian.
Up Next
Western Carolina travels to Furman this weekend in the Catamounts' final SoCon road series of the season. WCU and the Paladins will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and play the conference finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.
For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.
