CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina slugged nine hits including a pair of home runs and
Tessa Juett limited Appalachian State to just a pair of hits as the Catamounts cruised past their former Southern Conference archrival 9-0 on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon at the Catamount Softball Complex.
WCU improves to 14-19 overall while Appalachian State dropped its fourth straight to fall to 20-22.
In the first inning, Appalachian State got a two-out double from Mary Pierce Barnes before a flyout ended the inning.
Brooklynn Brewington led off the WCU half of the inning with a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a
Bailey Huneycutt single and scored on a
Savannah Baldwin infield hit for a 1-0 WCU lead.
The Catamounts added to their lead in the second.
Jeralynn Wells worked a one-out walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored as Brewington smacked a double off the left field fence for a 2-0 WCU advantage.
After
Tessa Juett escaped a fourth-inning jam with a strikeout to strand runners at the corners, the Catamounts responded with the first two batters reaching and nobody out. Appalachian State retired the next two hitters before
Myra Twitty belted her team-leading eighth home run of the season to give the Catamounts a 5-0 lead.
In the WCU fifth, an error followed by a fielder's choice and a Wells single loaded the bases. With App looking to wiggle out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts,
Natalie Henry ended the game with her second grand slam of the season.
Brewington collected a team-best three hits, going 3-for-4 with two singles, a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Henry finished 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBI while Twitty was 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Wells,
Savannah Baldwin, and
Bailey Treadway each finished with a single.
Juett (5-8) picked up the win, scattering two hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings. The Berea, Ky. native retired six straight batters at one point and the two hits allowed match a career-best in a start.
Barnes and Addie Wray collected Appalachian State's lone hits for the game. Starting pitcher Sejal Neas (7-7) took the loss as she gave up three runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 3.0 complete innings.
The Catamounts return to Southern Conference play this weekend, venturing to Macon, Ga., to face Mercer for a series that begins with a Saturday doubleheader at 2 p.m.
For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to
www.CatamountSports.com.
