Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina's offense was stymied for a second-consecutive day as UNC Greensboro claimed the best-of-three Southern Conference series with a 5-3 victory on Friday evening at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. WCU was limited to six hits in Friday's loss including five singles and were unable to capitalize on five walks and a pair of Spartan errors in dropping their first SoCon series since mid-April.
 
The Spartans (27-27, 11-9 SoCon) scored all the runs they would need in the first two innings, racing out to a 3-0 advantage in the first before grabbing a 4-0 lead through two complete. WCU mustered a two-out, two-run single by Cody Rech in the home half of the sixth inning to cut the deficit in half before the Spartans stretched the lead back to three with a marker in the top of the eighth.
 
The Catamounts threatened in the bottom of the ninth with Drew Needham delivering a run-scoring single to score Will Prater and WCU brought the winning run to the plate with runners at the corners but stranded two of their 10 runners left on base in the final frame.
 
The league's leader in strikeouts, Zebby Matthews struck out five over six and a third relief innings in limiting the Spartans to a run on just three base hits to give the Catamounts a chance to find some sustained offense that never came. Starter Gavin Mortenson (5-8) took the loss a week after his first career complete game, surrendering four runs – only one of which was earned – on five hits.
 
WCU's six base hits offensively were scattered between six different players with Pascanel Ferreras (1-for-2) delivering the only extra-base hit with a first-inning double and reaching a second time on a walk. Zach Ketterman (1-for-4), Bryson Parks (1-for-5), and Brandon Butterworth (1-for-4), who earned the start at second base, each reached on singles. Rech (1-for-3) drove home two with a single and Needham collected the squad's final hit and third RBI.
 
Will Prater and Jordan Starkes both reached twice with a pair of walks and both scored runs for the Catamounts (25-28-1, 9-10-1 SoCon)
 
Jared Mathewson (5-5) was strong in the starting role for UNCG, holding the Catamounts to just two runs while scattering five hits, working around five walks with six strikeouts over six innings to earn the victory. Alex Hoppe scored the three-inning save – his third of the year – surrendering an unearned run on just one hit out of the bullpen.
 
Outfielder Kennedy Jones (3-for-5) tallied a game-high three hits including a double and a solo home run with Greg Hardison (2-for-3) and Dallas Callahan (1-for-4) both legging out doubles. Hardison pushed a sacrifice bunt and Callahan recorded a pair of runs driven in on his first-inning double. Mitchell Smith reached three times for UNCG with a single and a pair of walks.
 
The series concludes on Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch that will be preceded by an on-field Senior Day ceremony honoring WCU's nine-member senior class. The game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Keep track of everything with WCU Athletics and Catamount baseball including any weather-related schedule updates through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).