CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball concludes an eight-game homestand this weekend as the Catamounts welcome the Samford Bulldogs for a three-game Southern Conference set. The series begins with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. with the finale on Sunday, also scheduled for 1 p.m. at the on-campus Catamount Softball Complex.
 
All three games are scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with free live stats available via a link on CatamountSports.com.
 
Admission to all home softball games is free of charge. WCU Athletics does continue to adhere to a clear bag policy for all home athletics events. Only standard clear bags, 12-inches by 6-inches by 12-inches in size, small purses approximately 4.5-inches by 5-inches not including the strap, and clear gallon-size storage bags and any medical-related bags will be allowed are permitted.
 
WCU is 10-16 overall after splitting a nonconference doubleheader against Radford at home on Wednesday. The Catamount picked up a 10-4 win in the first game highlighted by a six-run fifth inning before a late comeback in the second game fell just short in a 7-6 defeat. In the second game, sophomore Tessa Juett struck out a career-high 13 batters and is one of just five pitchers in program history to record 13 or more strikeouts in a game. Juett enters the weekend third in the SoCon in seasonal strikeouts with 67.
 
For the Catamounts, senior Brooklynn Brewington leads the team with a .385 seasonal batting average, second in the SoCon, which includes the fourth-most hits on the year with 35.
 
Samford is 14-19 overall following a 10-0 home loss on Wednesday to No. 19 Auburn. The preseason favorite in the coaches poll, the Bulldogs are 3-0 in league games after a home sweep of Mercer last weekend. McKenzie Newcomb, who paces the SoCon with 108 strikeouts on the year, was named Pitcher of the Week after earning a pair of wins against the Bears and allowing one run in 9.2 innings of work.  Logan Champion leads Samford with a .356 batting average, tied for second in the conference with 36 base hits including a SoCon-best 11 doubles.
 
The two teams have met 42 previous times on the softball diamond with the all-time series tied at 21-21. In each of the past two seasons, the home team has swept the series with Samford taking all three games in Alabama last season and the Catamounts winning each of the most recent meetings held in Cullowhee back in 2021. Despite last year's three-game sweep, WCU has won five of the last nine meetings with the Bulldogs dating back to 2019.
 
The Catamounts hit the road next week, venturing to Chattanooga for a three-game series that begins with a doubleheader on Friday, April 7 at 3 p.m. and concludes on Saturday, April 8 at Noon.
 
For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to www.CatamountSports.com.