Cullowhee, N.C. – UNC Greensboro scored runs in five of the nine innings including a trio of two-run frames as Western Carolina suffered an 8-2 loss in the Southern Conference series opener on Thursday evening at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Pascanel Ferreras drove a sacrifice fly to right-center field to score Will Prater in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at one after one complete, but it was as close as the Catamounts would get in the defeat. UNCG plated five unanswered runs between the second and fourth innings with WCU lighting the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh on a run-scoring double by Jordan Starkes.
 
However, WCU stranded the bases loaded in the home half of the seventh inning as a part of leaving seven on base – six coming over the final four frames. The Catamounts were also outhit by the Spartans 16-to-7 with UNCG tacking on two insurance markers in the top of the eighth to provide the final tally.
 
Prater reached base three times in a 2-for-4 effort with a walk, adding a stolen base, and one of WCU's two runs scored in the loss. Bryson Parks was likewise 2-for-4 with his team-high tying 20th double of the year, with Ferreras finishing 0-for-2 with a walk and Starkes 1-for-4 with a double as those two accumulated the only RBI for the home squad.
 
Senior Jacob Corn (3-3) was saddled with the loss, surrendering four runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout over two and a third. Corn was the first of seven pitchers to toe the rubber in the opener. Davis Tyndall was among the most effective for the Catamounts out of the bullpen, matching a season-high with three strikeouts over three innings of two-hit, scoreless relief. Lucas Hartman and Dylan Wheeler also recorded strikeouts.
 
Austin Parsley (9-4) tossed seven and a third innings in the winning effort, limiting the Catamounts to two runs while scattering seven hits, countering a pair of walks with five strikeouts. Hunter Shuey struck out one against a walk in an inning and two-thirds innings of hitless, scoreless work in relief.
 
Five Spartans collected multiple-hit games for UNCG, which entered the weekend leading the SoCon in base hits on the season. Mitchell Smith finished 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI with Greg Hardison (3-for-5) and Kennedy Jones (3-for-6) both posting multi-hit games and three combined runs scored. Hogan Windish reached base three times, drawing a pair of walks in a 1-for-3 offensive effort.
 
The series continues Friday with the first pitch at 5 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats online at CatamountSports.com.