Cullowhee, N.C. – Senior right-hander Zach Franklin struck out a career-high 10 batters over a seven-inning start and sophomore Pascanel Ferreras drove home four in a three-hit effort including a three-run home run as Western Carolina jumped out to an eight-run lead on Friday evening to score a series-opening 9-2 victory over the Mercer Bears in Southern Confernece action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Game two of the three-game series has been bumped to a 4 p.m. start on Saturday afternoon. The game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with live streaming audio and live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Franklin retired the first 12 batters of the game on Friday and limited the potent Mercer offense to a run on pair of singles and three walks in his fourth-consecutive start for WCU. The Marion, N.C., eclipsed the 200-career strikeout threshold with his 10 punchouts, finishing the game with 206 following his fourth-straight victory. Dawson Elder surrendered a run on a sacrifice fly in an inning of relief with Cole Beverlin closing the game with a walk in an inning of hitless, scoreless relief.
 
Senior Will Prater led four Catamounts with multiple-hit games, collecting four singles in a 4-for-5, four-run effort. Ferreras reached base five times, finishing 3-for-3 with two doubles and a three-run home run in the third inning. The Stone Mountain, Ga., native was also intentionally walked and hit by a pitch, scoring twice. Immanuel Wilder doubled as a part of a 3-for-5 offensive showing, driving in three runs in the winning effort, with Jordan Starkes reaching twice on a pair of singles including a picture-perfect bunt.
 
Western Carolina (22-23, 6-7 SoCon) scored eight of its nine runs over the first four frames on Friday including a two-spot in the bottom of the first inning. With Prater aboard with a single, Ferreras doubled to the gap in left-center to drive in the game's first run. Wilder then plated Ferreras by punching a single through the right side for the 2-0 lead through one.
 
In the third inning with Zach Ketterman and Prater aboard, Ferreras blasted a three-run home run over the batter's eye in straightaway center field for a three-run shot and a 5-0 lead. Wilder tacked on a fourth run in the frame by scampering home on a wild pitch for a 6-0 lead through three complete.
 
Wilder was again involved in runs in the fourth inning as two scored on a bases-loaded infield groundout. The Madison, Ala., put the ball in play on a would-be swinging bunt allowing Cameron Murray to race home from third as Bears catcher Collin Price corralled the ball and made the decision to throw to first. With all attention at the right corner, Prater raced around third and with the plate uncovered, dove into the dish to push the WCU lead to eight through four complete.
 
Mercer capitalized on a trio of walks and the second of two Angelo DiSpigna singles to score a run in the top of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk. However, Franklin squashed the rally with his 10th strikeout to keep it a seven-run game, 8-1, eventually headed to the eighth. With runners at the corners, Price lifted a sac fly to left to bring home a second marker for the visitors before Elder was able to escape the frame, leaving a runner at first base.
 
Wilder capped scoring in the bottom of the eighth with a run-scoring single through the left side to plate Prater and provide the final tally, 9-2, as Beverlin worked around a one-out walk with consecutive groundouts to end the game and halt a three-game series slide for WCU.
 
Mercer starter Ryan Lobus (5-3) was saddled with the loss, surrendering six runs on seven hits over just three innings with five strikeouts against two walks. Freshman reliever Colton Cosper struck out seven over five innings out of the bullpen, holding the Catamounts to three runs on six hits with a pair of walks and two hit batters.
 
DiSpigna collected two of Mercer's three hits in the loss with William Mapes tallying the third in the latter frames. Treyson Hughes reached twice with a pair of walks with Price scoring a run and driving in a marker for the Bears.
 
The series continues Saturday afternoon with an adjusted first pitch of 4 p.m. in Cullowhee.