Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball closes a stretch where six of seven games will be played at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium this weekend as the Catamounts return home to host the Southern Conference preseason favorite Wofford Terriers.
The league series is scheduled to open Friday with
an updated weather-altered time of 7 p.m., presented by Ingles, with a 3 p.m. first pitch on Saturday in a game presented by the Sylva Insurance Agency. The finale is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
(Game times are subject to change).
All three games are slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) with both Saturday and Sunday's games to be carried over the air on television on The CW 62 with WSPA-TV sports director Pete Yanity and MLB veteran Lary Sorenson on the call.
Live stats will be available through links at CatamountSports.com for each game.
Western Carolina (13-18, 3-5 SoCon) returns home after powering past mountain-rival UNC Asheville in the midweek by a count of 13-4 at Greenwood Field in Asheville on Tuesday. The Catamounts rode three big innings and a strong offensive output by sophomore infielder
Brandon Butterworth that included three hits with his second career home run and a career-best five RBI to the victory that halted a three-game slide.
Most recently in SoCon play, the Catamounts dropped a weather-altered Thursday doubleheader to VMI in Cullowhee despite rallying in both ends of the twin bill, falling 14-11 in 10 innings in game one before dropping the nightcap, 17-12. Game three of that series was rained out. WCU won the series against Mercer but has dropped two conference sets at UNCG and at home against VMI.
Butterworth enters the weekend riding a team-best 19-game reached base safely streak that included a five-game hitting streak. He's joined with double-digit RBS streaks by junior teammates
Zach Ketterman and
Nate Stocum both at 10 games. Junior
Pascanel Ferreras has reached safely in seven consecutive games that features the squad's longest current hitting streak at six straight heading into Friday's opener.
About the Wofford Terriers:
The two-time defending regular-season champions of the Southern Conference, Wofford was again picked to win the league in the preseason by both the conference's head coaches and voting media. The Terriers are riding high after throttling Palmetto State rival Presbyterian 18-1 in the midweek, after dropping the series finale at ETSU in seven innings, 2-1. Wofford has won four of its last five games on the season including an impressive midweek win at perennial power, the College of Charleston.
Wofford (24-8, 4-2 SoCon) has scored two SoCon series wins to date, taking 2-of-3 from VMI and ETSU. Both Wofford and WCU were swept by Xavier in nonconference play earlier this season with the Terriers taking two from PC against WCU's loss in Clinton, S.C., and the Catamounts falling twice against common-foe
One week after facing the SoCon's best-hitting team by average – VMI at .328 as a squad – WCU faces a Terriers team that brings the second-best average in the league to town at .320. Tied for the most runs scored on the year at 286, Wofford boasts the SoCon's best on-base percentage at .438 which includes a SoCon-pacing 174 walks and 66 HBPs.
Wofford averages 8.9 runs per game on 10.7 hits per contest with 56 doubles, eight triples, and 31 homers while limiting teams to just 5.2 runs on 9.9 hits per game as a pitching staff.
Western Carolina vs. Wofford – The Series:
The Catamounts and Terriers have met 102 times previously on the baseball diamond with WCU leading the series 75-26-1 that including a 39-13 mark in games played in Cullowhee. Wofford has won four of the last five games that had decisions with the most recent meeting ending in a weather-halted 2-2 tie back on May 15, 2022. The Terriers have won four of the last six series games played in Cullowhee, taking 2-of-3 in both 2019 and 2021. WCU won 14-of-15 between 2012-17 and enjoyed a series-long 13-game win streak from 2006-10.
Individuals in the Latest SoCon Statistics:
WCU slugger
James Hinson paces the league in slugging percentage at .750 with a team-best eight home runs, six doubles, and two triples.
Pascanel Ferreras ranks second in the league in RBI with a WCU-best 36 on the season, while his left-side infield teammate
Zach Ketterman has drawn a SoCon-best 27 walks.
Friday night starter
Nick Torres has 15 strikeouts looking on the year to rank fourth in the conference with
Gavin Mortenson tied for fourth with three saves.
Wofford boasts two of the top four individual batting averages in the league with Ryan Galanie second at .439 while also ranking second with a .740 slugging percentage. Galanie leads the SoCon with nine homers and in RBI with 39, just ahead of third-place teammate David Wiley (35), who leads the SoCon with five triples this season.
On the mound, Wofford's Lucas Mahlstedt has a SoCon-leading 2.11 ERA while limiting opponents to a .220 batting average against, second in the league. Coulson Buchanan (57) and Matthew Marchal (46) rank two-and-three in the SoCon in strikeouts with Mahlstedt just behind in sixth with 41 and Zac Cowan tied for eighth with 38.
On Deck for the Catamounts:
Following this weekend's conference series against Wofford, the Catamounts embark on a road-heavy schedule as 10 of its next 12 will be played on the road. WCU plays the backend of the nonconference home-and-home at USC Upstate (April 18) before a weekend, three-game road series at the College of Charleston (April 21-23). The two home dates against Gardner-Webb (April 25) and UNC Asheville (May 3) are sandwiched around a weekend road SoCon series at ETSU (April 28-30), followed by a road series at Samford (May 5-7).
Keep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).
Game Day Reminders for Childress Field / Hennon Stadium:
- Fans must purchase a ticket to gain admission into the stadium seating and surrounding areas;
- WCU Athletics continues 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 are permitted. Diaper bags (child must be present upon entry) and any medical-related bags will be allowed;
- Fans are reminded that in accordance with stadium policies, no pets, umbrellas, coolers, or outside food and beverages are allowed within the stadium;
- Alcohol will be available for purchase through Catamount Dining concessions at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. Selections of beer, wine, and hard seltzers will be available for purchase – patrons must be 21 years of age with a legal ID and a limit of one beverage per transaction;
- Free game day parking for games in Cullowhee is available in the baseball parking deck behind the grandstand seating area, or beyond the outfield fence utilizing the access road that skirts the stadium to the left.
2023 Catamount Baseball – Western Carolina (13-18, 3-5 SoCon) vs. Wofford (24-8, 4-2 SoCon)
Game 1 – Friday, April 14 | 7 pm (updated) |
Tickets |
Coverage: ESPN+ |
LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WOF – So. RHP Coulson Buchanan (3-2, 4.53 ERA; 12 app., 11 GS, 49.2 IP, 57K, 12 BB)
WCU – Grad. RHP
Nick Torres (3-2, 2.84 ERA; 12 app., 2 GS, 31.2 IP, 26K, 10BB)
Game 2 – Saturday, March 25 | 3 pm |
Tickets |
Coverage: CW62 / ESPN+ |
LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WOF – Fr. RHP Charlie Weber (0-0, 7.13 ERA; 7 app., 7 GS, 24.0 IP, 25K, 3BB)
WCU – Jr. LHP
Kyle Riesselmann (1-1, 5.08 ERA; 7 app., 6 GS, 28.1 IP, 28K, 8 BB)
Game 3 – Sunday, March 26 | 1 pm |
Tickets |
Coverage: CW62 / ESPN+ |
LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WOF – Sr. RHP Matthew Marchal (6-1, 4.50 ERA; 12 app., 11 GS, 44.0 IP, 46K, 11BB)
WCU – TBD
