Cullowhee, N.C. – For a second time this season, Western Carolina rallied from an early deficit in a midweek match-up against Gardner-Webb to tie the game in the middle innings. But unfortunately for a second time, the Runnin' Bulldogs used a big inning to provide distance in pulling away for a victory over the Catamounts.
 
Gardner-Webb rode a five-run sixth inning and tacked on four in the eighth, outscoring WCU 10-to-3 over the final four innings after the Catamounts knotted the game at four in the fourth inning in taking a 14-7 decision in nonconference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
In the first meeting back on March 1, the Runnin' Bulldogs similarly broke-open a 3-3 game with a six-run fifth inning in the 14-4 win in the frontend of the home-and-home, two-game set.
 
Western Carolina finished with nine hits in the loss with Brandon Butterworth collecting his team-best fifth triple in a 3-for-5 effort, putting the Catamounts on the board with his run-scoring, three-bag hit in the second inning. Nate Stocum delivered a solo homer in a 2-for-5 performance with Landen Morrison collecting a pair of singles in a 2-for-2 effort as a late-inning pinch hitter.
 
Drew Needham belted a pinch-hit two-run home run to right center field with James Hinson and Zach Ketterman collecting RBI on an HBP and sacrifice fly, respectively. Hinson's bases-loaded HBP tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Catamounts missed an opportunity for a lead stranding three runners in the frame as a part of 10 left on base.
 
Reliever Carson Lowder (0-1), one of nine Catamount pitchers used on Tuesday, suffered the loss after allowing four runs on five hits with a strikeout in an inning and two-thirds. Freshman Ryan White, the first reliever out of the bullpen, tossed a team-long three relief innings, scattering five hits while limiting GWU to one unearned run with a strikeout. Corey Bright struck out two to work around a walk and a hit in tossing a scoreless ninth for WCU.
 
Gardner-Webb (27-13) saw five players post multi-hit game as the Runnin' Bulldogs collected 19 base hits including five for extra bases. Mark Black finished at triple shy of the cycle in a 4-for-5 performance with four RBI, three coming on a three-run homer in the five-run sixth. Humberto Torres finished 4-for-6 with two RBI and Nate Anderson doubled twice in a two-hit effort.
 
Reliever Grant Vera (1-0) was credited with the victory after tossing an inning of hitless, scoreless relief with three Runnin' Bulldog pitchers – starter Jacob McCaskey, Joe Miceli, and the final reliever used, Dalton Strickland – each striking out two.
 
Western Carolina (15-24, 4-7 SoCon) heads back out on the road this weekend in a return to Southern Conference play in a key league match-up, visiting mountain-rival ETSU (18-20, 4-8 SoCon) for a three-game series at Thomas Stadium. Game one is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, April 28, with game two Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale at 1 p.m. with each game slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) and live stats available online through a link at CatamountSports.com.
 
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