Cullowhee, N.C. – Seven of Western Carolina's 12 hits went for extra bases and the Catamounts scored in bunches including seizing control with a seven-run second inning on Wednesday evening in upending Gardner-Webb 14-2 in midweek nonconference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
WCU scored 14 runs for the second-consecutive game after plating 14 runs in the series-clinching road win at Xavier last Sunday. It was the ninth double-digit scoring effort for the Catamounts this season.
 
Senior Immanuel Wilder led three Catamounts with multi-hit games, finishing 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI. Classmate Will Prater plated two on a second-inning double in a 2-for-4 effort with senior Seth Graves finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI including a sacrifice fly and a two-run home run.
 
Sophomore Nate Stocum returned to the lineup with a pair of RBIs in a 1-for-4 effort with a double and a walk, with senior Bryson Parks collecting his team-leading 10th double of the season and Daniel Walsh belting a pinch-hit, three-run homer. Zack Ketterman reached three times with a single and a pair of HBPs.
 
After loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning but being turned away by Gardner-Webb, the Catamounts broke through in the second by sending 10 batters to the plate. With the bases loaded and one out, Prater delivered a two-run single through the right side to the early lead. Wilder plated two with a single to left with Stocum's double down the right-field line handing the Catamounts a 6-0 lead. Graves capped the second-inning scoring barrage with a sacrifice fly to right-center, scoring Stocum for a 7-0 lead through two complete.
 
Gardner-Webb got one of the runs back in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jacob Marcos. In the fourth, though, the Catamounts pushed across four runs with Wilder and Pascanel Ferreras both scoring on an infield error before Graves homered to right to give WCU the 11-1 lead after four.
 
Walsh delivered a pinch-hit, three-run home run down the left-field line in the sixth inning to cap WCU's scoring with the Runnin' Bulldogs scoring on a Chris McKenna pinch-hit single in the eighth inning to provide the final tally.
 
Freshman Matt Schepel (1-0) scored the victory in his first collegiate start, striking out two in two innings of hitless, scoreless action. The Matthews, N.C., product was the first of eight Catamount pitchers used in the win. Classmate Lucas Hartman struck out six in his two relief innings with Jackson Kirkpatrick, Cole Beverlin, and Paddy McGonigal each posting strikeouts. Tristen Campbell worked a 1-2-3 ninth to finish Wednesday's game for the Catamounts.
 
Gardner-Webb starter Drew Janssen (0-4) took the loss, surrendering two runs on three hits in an inning and a third with one strikeout. Janssen was one of nine pitchers to toe the rubber for the Runnin' Bulldogs with Michael Portella and Luke Osteen both striking out two.
 
Western Carolina (14-15) remains at home this weekend to open Southern Conference play, hosting the ETSU Buccaneers (17-8) for a three-game series at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. Game one of the series is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. on Friday with each game slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).