CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Western Carolina softball team returns to the friendly confines of the Catamount Softball Complex this weekend as the Catamounts welcome mountain rival ETSU for a key three-game Southern Conference series. The teams open with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at Noon followed by the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Before Sunday's game, WCU will honor eight seniors playing in their final home weekend series. These players include Brooklynn Brewington, Jayme Eilers, Morgan Maddaluna, Amber Parker, Anna-Paige Pelfrey, Samantha Reele, Claudia Riddle, and Bailey Treadway. WCU will also recognize fifth-year seniors Bailey Huneycutt and Myra Twitty who both took part in last year's senior day festivities with their class before returning this season.
 
All three games of the series will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with free live stats available on CatamountSports.com.
 
WCU is 16-20 overall and 5-7 in SoCon games after claiming its second league series of the season, winning two of three games last weekend at Mercer. The Catamounts swept a Saturday doubleheader, downing the Bears in the first game 5-2 before securing both the twin bill sweep and the series win with a 2-1 triumph in the second game.
 
Brewington was named the SoCon Player of the Week for the second time this season on Monday after she hit .538 with seven hits, five runs scored, two RBI, and five stolen bases in four games last week. During WCU's series against Mercer, Brewington was 4-for-9 with three runs scored, an RBI, and three stolen bases. The Andrews, S.C., native was responsible for both of WCU's runs in the 2-1 triumph over the Bears. 
 
ETSU is 13-31 after splitting a home doubleheader on Tuesday against Radford. The Bucs prevailed 4-3 in nine innings in the opener before dropping the second game 2-1. In league games, the Bucs are 4-8 after dropping a series at home against Chattanooga on April 15-16. Combined, the Bucs have lost three of their four conference series this year – dropping 2-of-3 at Samford and home to UTC with a three-game sweep suffered at UNCG. ETSU did take 2-of-3 at home over Furman to open the month of April.
 
ETSU is led offensively by Sara Muir and her .362 batting average. Cameron Young is tied for first in the Southern Conference with 14 doubles and leads the team with 49 hits. Muir ranks second with 47 hits. Entering the weekend, the Bucs are the top defensive team in the SoCon with a .970 fielding percent, just ahead of WCU at .968.
 
The Catamounts close out nonconference play on Thursday, May 4, hosting NC Central in a rescheduled doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Cullowhee. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
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