Cullowhee, N.C. – Drew Needham belted a game-tying, pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the eighth inning with Will Prater scoring the go-ahead run from third base on a wild pitch to give the Catamounts an 8-7 lead headed to the top of the ninth inning.
 
However, Presbyterian scored four unanswered runs including one in the top of the ninth to ultimately force extra innings and pushed across three in the 10th to upend the Catamounts 11-8 on Wednesday night in midweek nonconference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Western Carolina thrice took two-run leads on Wednesday night, plating two in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Immanuel Wilder and a run-scoring double off the batter's eye in center field by Nate Stocum. Presbyterian cut the deficit in half in the top of the second on a run-scoring infield groundout only to see the Catamounts reclaim a two-run edge with an unearned run scored on a Blue Hose infield error.
 
Presbyterian (19-21) again trimmed the margin back to one with an unearned run in the top of the third inning to make the score 3-2 through three complete.
 
Seth Graves belted a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to again hand the Catamounts a two-run lead, 4-2. But, the Blue Hose erupted for four runs in the top of the seventh to erase the deficit and take a two-run lead of its own, 6-4. Stocum then homered in the home half of the frame to pull WCU to within a maker, 6-5, through seven complete.
 
Trailing 7-5 in the home half of the eighth inning and with Bryson Parks aboard, Needham pummeled a full-count pitch to deep right field for a game-tying home run. Later that frame, Prater singled and stole second with a throwing error at the bag at second allowing him to take third. He then pushed the Catamounts in front, scoring on a arrant pitch.
 
In the top of the ninth, pinch runner D.J. Butler scored from second base on a RBI single by Jeremiah Boyd single to force extra innings. In the 10th, Presbyterian lit the scoreboard for three runs including a two-RBI double just inside the bag at first by Jack Gorman and a run-scoring single by pinch hitter Chase Hughes to provide the final tally. WCU was retired in order in the home half of the frame as the two squads split the home-and-home, both winning on the road.
 
Prater finished 4-for-5 with four singles and a walk to reach base five times and Stocum was a triple shy of the cycle in a 3-for-5 effort as the two combined for seven of WCU's 11 base hits. Graves and Needham also homered for the Catamounts.
 
Gavin Mortenson (3-6) – the eighth of eight pitchers used by WCU – was the tough-luck loser, surrendering three runs on two hits with three walks including one intentional in just his second relief effort of the season. Starter Nick Hyde struck out six over two innings of work, facing 10 total batters. Tristen Campbell tallied three strikeouts over three hitless, scoreless relief innings with Lucas Hartman, Dawson Elder, and Davis Tyndall each posting a strikeout as WCU fanned 12 in the loss.
 
Presbyterian's Jordan Art (1-0) earned his first victory of the season, limiting WCU to a run on a hit over two innings with a walk and three strikeouts. Saturday starter Duncan Howard earned his first save of the season, striking out two in a perfect 10th inning.
 
Gorman doubled twice to pace six Blue Hose hitters with two-hit efforts in the road win, finishing 2-for-5 with a trio of strikeouts. Jay Wetherington also struck out three times in a 2-for-5 showing with Eric Toth finishing 2-for-4 with two walks and three RBI. Brody Fahr was 2-for-5 and Boyd finished 2-for-6 with a pair of runs driven in.
 
Western Carolina (18-22, 3-6 SoCon) heads to Lexington, Va., for a three-game series Southern Conference series against VMI this weekend at Gray-Minor Stadium. The series is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday with each game slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).

NOTE: Be sure to keep track of any weather-related schedule changes online at CatamountSports.com or through WCU Athletics' social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports) and Twitter (@Catamounts or @CatamountBSB).