Lexington, Va. – Western Carolina posted a three-run eighth inning that included a two-run home run by Zach Ketterman to carry a five-run edge, 7-2, into the ninth inning on Friday evening. VMI rallied over its final three outs, trimming all but one run off the deficit before reliever Zebby Matthews struck out two looking to strand the tying and winning runs on base as the Catamounts escaped with a 7-6 victory in the Southern Conference series opener at Gray-Minor Stadium.
 
Catamount starter Zach Franklin (4-1) struck out seven over a seven-inning appearance, limiting the Keydets to a run on just four singles to collect his third-consecutive victory in a starting role. The Marion, N.C., native retired the first six batters of the game and then worked around a pair of infield errors to strand the bases loaded in the third inning, inducing a double-play ball.
 
Tristen Campbell struck out two over an inning and a third out of the bullpen with Matthews working around a walk and an HBP with two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning of action for the Catamounts.
 
WCU (19-22, 4-6 SoCon) jumped out in front in the top of the first inning as Pascanel Ferreras belted a solo home run to left-center field for the 1-0 lead. Three innings later in the top of the fourth, Ferreras lined a run-scoring double down the left-field line to plate Zach Ketterman for the two-run edge.
 
Immanuel Wilder laced a fifth-inning RBI single into left field to plate Cameron Murray to give the Catamounts a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the frame, the Keydets used a lead-off walk and consecutive one-out singles to scratch the scoreboard to make it 3-1 through five complete.
 
In the sixth inning, Jordan Starkes drove a double to the gap in left-center before scoring on an infield bunt by Bryson Parks with an errant throw allowing the run to score for the 4-1 lead. Two innings later, the Catamounts posted their first crooked number with a three-spot in the eighth inning. Will Prater singled into left field to drive home Seth Graves with Ketterman homering to hand WCU a 7-1 lead headed to the home half of the frame.
 
VMI managed to score the game's final five runs, using a run-scoring double in the eighth to cut the lead to five, 7-2, headed to the ninth. Jed Barrett doubled down the left-field line to push across the first of four runs in the ninth for the Keydets, with Will Knight drawing a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-4. Trey Morgan, who started the game on the mound for VMI before assuming the designated hitter role, plated two runs on a single up the middle into center field to make it 7-6.
 
Matthews worked around a wild pitch with a pair of strikeouts looking to strand the tying and winning runs on base to collect his third save of the season.
 
Ferreras finished 3-for-4 to lead the Catamounts as the top four in the lineup each posted multi-hit games in the victory. The Stone Mountain, Ga., native finished just a triple shy of the cycle with a homer, a double, and a single while also reaching on a walk with two RBI. Prater and Ketterman both finished 2-for-5 with Ketterman driving in two on his homer, with Wilder finishing 2-for-4. Murray reached twice in a 1-for-2 effort, also drawing an HBP with Starkes doubling in a 1-for-3 performance.
 
Trey Morgan (1-2) took the loss for the Keydets, striking out six with a pair of walks and two hit batters over five and a third innings of work. Morgan was touched for four runs – three earned – on seven hits. Will Riley struck out three over two and a third innings, giving up three runs on four this, with Ben Capehart striking out two in an inning and a third of hitless, scoreless relief.
 
Morgan helped his own cause at the plate, collecting two of VMI's seven hits in a 2-for-5 effort with a double and three RBI. Barrett also doubled in a 2-for-3 showing with an RBI and a run scored. Brett Cook reached twice, scoring a pair of runs with one driven in.
 
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon with the first pitch at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats through StatBroadcast available through a link at CatamountSports.com.
 
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