Cincinnati, Ohio – Sophomore Pascanel Ferreras gave Western Carolina a short-lived two-run advantage in the third inning with his fifth home run of the season on Saturday afternoon. However, Xavier used a fourth-inning grand slam homer to grab its first lead of the series and held on for a 7-3 victory at Hayden Field, forcing a series rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Ferreras and classmate Zach Ketterman both collected two hits in the loss, combining for four of WCU's six base knocks that included five singles a day after posting seven for extra bases in Friday's opener. Ferreras reached four times, adding a walk and an HBP, while Ketterman drew a second of WCU's three walks to reach three times. Immanuel Wilder tallied the squad's only other RBI with an infield single to pull the Catamounts back to within a run in the fifth inning at 4-3, with Jordan Starkes finishing 1-for-4 and stealing a base.
 
After Wilder clawed the Catamounts back to within a run in the fifth, the Musketeers managed to strand the game-tying run at third base as WCU left two on in the frame. Xavier then got a pair of solo home runs by Tyler Demartino in the sixth and Jared Cushing in the seventh to grab a three-run lead with Luke Franzoni doubling down the left-field line to provide the final tally, 7-3.
 
WCU's Dylan Wheeler (0-1) took the loss in his first collegiate start, surrendering four runs on just two hits with a strikeout against three walks. Dawson Elder and Davis Tyndall both tossed two innings apiece, Elder striking out two and Tyndall fanning three. Tristen Campbell also threw an inning of hitless, scoreless relief.
 
Reliever Jack Lynch (4-0) scored the win in relief, scattering three hits over 2.2 innings with three strikeouts. Starter Lane Flamm went 4.1 innings, working around three walks with a pair of strikeouts and just two hits allowed. Jared Gadd was credited with his third save of the season, entering a three-run game in the eighth while holding WCU scoreless with just one hit and a strikeout.
 
The first pitch of Sunday's third game is scheduled for 1 p.m. and can be seen on FloSports (paid subscription required) with live stats available online through a link on CatamountSPorts.com.