Greenville, S.C. – Western Carolina pitchers Zach Franklin and Zebby Matthews combined to strike out 13 batters and limited No. 7 VMI to one run on just three base hits as the sixth-seeded Catamounts advanced into the double-elimination portion of the 2022 Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases with a 4-1 victory Wednesday afternoon over the Keydets at Fluor Field.
 
Senior Seth Graves drove in two runs including belting a second-inning RBI double and plated the eventual game-winning run on a sacrifice fly to center field as a part of a decisive three-run sixth inning. The Catamounts tacked on two runs on a VMI infield throwing error in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead before Zac Morris homered to left to provide the final tally in the eighth inning.
 
Western Carolina (26-29-1) advances to face No. 3 seed Samford later this evening (at approximately 8:20 p.m.) at Fluor Field in the second game of the double-elimination portion of the tournament bracket. Samford took 2-of-3 from WCU in Cullowhee earlier this season. The winner will play No. 2 seed Mercer on Friday at 12:30 p.m. 
 
VMI concludes the year with a 16-40 overall record.
 
Returning from injury that forced him to miss his final two regular-season starts, Franklin worked around three early walks by posting six strikeouts among the eight outs he recorded over a 2.2 innings on Wednesday. On the heels of his sixth K of the day, Franklin worked the count 2-1 that included a wild pitch before the athletic trainer emerged from the dugout ending his appearance.
 
Mathews (4-6) ended the third with a strikeout looking, the 200th strikeout of his WCU career and the first of his seven K's on the day. The Cullowhee, N.C., native held VMI to one run on just two base hits over 6.1 relief innings.
 
Zach Ketterman (2-for-3) and Brandon Butterworth (2-for-3) both reached base three times combining for four of WCU's eight hits and three of the team's runs. Ketterman doubled and walked while Butterworth collected a pair of singles including loading the bases with a perfectly-placed bunt down the third-base line in the sixth inning. Graves finished 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Pascanel Ferreras also reached twice with a walk and a double in the winning effort.
 
VMI freshman starter Tyler Kaltreider (3-7) suffered the loss despite surrendering just one run on five hits, countering a pair of walks with six strikeouts over four and a third innings. Will Lopez was tagged for three runs – only one of which was earned – on three hits with Will Riley striking out two over two and two-thirds hitless, scoreless relief innings.
 
All three of VMI's hits went for extra bases with Morris providing the biggest shot with his eighth-inning solo home run. Cole Garrett doubled, and Trey Morgan tripled, but both were stranded by the Catamounts as both teams left seven runners on base.
 
SoCon Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
May 25 (Wednesday)
Game 1: #8 The Citadel 3, #5 ETSU 1 
Game 2: #6 Western Carolina 4, #7 VMI, 1
Game 3: #4 UNCG 7, #8 The Citadel 6
Game 4: #6 Western Carolina vs. #3 Samford, 7:30 p.m.
 
May 26 (Thursday)
No games scheduled (due to inclement weather)
 
May 27 (Friday)
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. #1 Wofford, 9:00 a.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. #2 Mercer, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7: Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5, 4:00 p.m.
Game 8: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 6, 7:30 p.m. 
 
May 28 (Saturday)
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, Noon
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 3:30 p.m. 
Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 9, 7:00 p.m.
 
May 29 (Sunday)
Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11, Noon
Game 13: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser (if necessary), 40 minutes after Game 12