Boiling Springs, N.C. – Western Carolina rallied from a four-run deficit in the top of the ninth inning on Tuesday evening, tying the game on a three-run double by Pascanel Ferreras to ultimately force extra innings at Bill Masters Field / John Henry Moss Stadium. However, Gardner-Webb scored the game-winning run on a would-be double-play in the bottom of the 10th as a hard slide at second base forced an errant throw that allowed the game-winning run to score from third base as the Runnin' Bulldogs celebrated the 10-9 victory.
 
Western Carolina stranded 13 runners over the extra-inning affair, leaving the bases loaded twice, and had been limited to five, one-run innings until the four-run output in the top of the ninth. WCU was down to its final strike four times in the ninth inning before the Ferreras drive.
 
All told, the Catamounts finished with 13 total hits in its lone loss to the Runnin' Bulldogs this season, taking the first two games of the midweek nonconference series in Cullowhee.
 
Pascanel Ferreras (4-for-6) collected four hits including a career-best three doubles and four RBI to lead two Catamounts with multi-hit games. Daniel Walsh (3-for-6) doubled once in a three-hit effort while Bryson Parks reached base four times with four walks.
 
Gardner-Webb's Alec Burns (2-for-4) homered twice as a part of reaching base four times in the win for the Runnin' Bulldogs, driving in three runs. He also had the slide at second that disrupted Ferreras as he delivered the throw to first on the fielder's choice as WCU looked for its third double-play of the game. Burns led four, two-hit efforts for Gardner-Webb with Curtis Robison tripling and pinch-hitter Carson Yates doubling in the ninth inning. Jacob Marcos (1-for-2) led off the 10th with a single and scored the game-winning run.
 
The ninth pitcher used by WCU in the loss, reliever Cole Beverlin (0-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering the unearned run on just two hits with an intentional walk and a strikeout. Paddy McGonigal struck out a team-best two for the Catamounts as the first reliever out.
 
Michael Portella (3-2) scored the victory as the seventh arm used by the home squad, striking out two over an inning and a third of one-hit, scoreless relief though he did surrender the three-run double to Ferreras. Starter Lucas Gardner struck out two against two walks in three innings of work while Gabe Pilla was tagged for four runs in two-thirds of an inning, walking three while striking out two.
 
Western Carolina jumped in front in the top of the first inning, manufacturing a run as Will Prater singled, stole second, moved to third on a flyout, and scored in a single by Ferreras. However, the lead was short-lived as Gardner-Webb scored five in the home half to grab the lead it held until the ninth inning.
 
The Catamounts managed to chip away at the deficit with a run-scoring single by Cody Rech in the second only to see Burns get the marker back on a home run in the bottom of the inning. Immanuel Wilder plated Zach Ketterman on a run-scoring single in the third with Gardner-Webb plating a run on a passed ball. Nate Stocum lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Ferreras in the fifth before Burns hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
 
In the seventh, Jordan Starkes drove a pinch-hit single through the left side to score Stocum to set up the four-run deficit heading into the ninth.
 
WCU managed to load the bases in the top of the ninth inning on a lead-off single by Walsh and consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Caden Rector and Will Prater. Ketterman then drew a bases-loaded free pass to bring home a run to make it a three-run game before Ferreras belted a 1-2 pitch to left field, scoring three. Beverlin worked around a two-out double to force extra innings where the Runnin' Bulldogs scored on the infield miscue.
 
Western Carolina (25-26-1, 9-8-1 SoCon) returns home for a three-game Southern Conference series, hosting in-state foe UNCG at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The set opens with 5 p.m. first pitches on Thursday and Friday with a 2 p.m. start on Saturday's Senior Day. Each game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.