Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball closes the home portion of its 2023 schedule this weekend, hosting The Citadel Bulldogs at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium beginning Friday at 5 p.m. as two of the most successful programs in Southern Conference baseball history meet for a three-game set.
 
Saturday is "Whee Love Canton Day" at the ballpark presented by Ingles and Champion Credit Union with fans encouraged to arrive early ahead of the 2 p.m. start for a pregame Fan Fest and concert that starts at 12:30 p.m. Fans should anticipate heavy traffic on campus as the game coincides with WCU's commencement exercises. Sunday is Senior Day with WCU honoring the senior members of its baseball squad, also welcoming youth to the game on Little League Day at the ballpark courtesy of Great Smiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics with the first pitch at 1 p.m. All kids receive free admission to the game by wearing their team jersey or shirt. Following the game, kids will be able to run the bases.
 
Each game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Western Carolina (19-28, 6-11 SoCon) is riding a two-game win streak after taking the series finale from SoCon front-runner Samford last Sunday by a count of 7-5 in Birmingham, and then holding off Presbyterian in the midweek with a 7-6 victory at home on Tuesday. The Catamounts used a three-run homer by Zach Ketterman for an early lead before rallying past the Blue Hose on a run-scoring single by Jack Spyke and a sacrifice fly by Jordan Starkes.
 
WCU looks for its first SoCon series win since taking two of three from Mercer. The Catamounts have dropped five of their six SoCon series this season overall – but have managed to win at least one league game in every series except for VMI which was shortened to just two games due to weather. Four of WCU's 11 conference losses have come in one-run games and have twice gone to extra innings.
 
Entering the weekend, WCU continues to boast three hitters with double-digit home runs as Nate Stocum (12), James Hinson (11), and Pasanel Ferreras (10) have all circled the base paths for double figures. Ketterman has nine round-trippers, vying for double figures in back-to-back seasons. Brandon Butterworth continues to pace the SoCon with six triples, tied for second in the WCU single-season record books.
 
This weekend marks the final regular-season conference games for WCU.
 

About The Citadel:
The Bulldogs come to Cullowhee with a 21-23 overall record and a 6-9 mark in SoCon play with one remaining league series to play, hosting Wofford next weekend in Charleston. The Citadel's midweek game against Coastal Carolina was postponed last Tuesday meaning the Cadets have been idle since taking 2-of-3 from military rival VMI at home last weekend, holding a Keydet offense that had averaged 10.4 runs per game over its previous 11 contests to just 3.3 runs per game over the series.
 
The Bulldogs are just 3-10 away from the banks of the Ashley River this season having dropped three-straight road games. The Citadel has one more road game left to play, Tuesday (May 16) at cross-town rival, the College of Charleston.
 
Offensively, the Bulldogs are batting .286 collectively as a team, an average that dips to a SoCon-low .261 in conference play. The Citadel has collected 417 total base hits including 115 for extra bases – 84 doubles to rank fourth in the SoCon, the third-most triples with 12, and 19 home runs, the fewest in the league to date. Three Bulldogs – Thomas Rollauer, Sawyer Reeves, and Noah Mitchell – each have double-digit doubles with Mitchell leading the team with 37 RBI. Travis Lott ranks fourth in the SoCon in on-base percentage at .485, a number bolstered by the second-most HBPs in the league (15).
 
The strength of The Citadel squad is on the mound as the Bulldogs boast the second-lowest team earned run average at 5.67 while limiting opponents to a conference-leading .272 batting average against. The staff has allowed just 402 base hits to the opposition, the fewest of any staff in the SoCon. Projected weekend starters Cameron Reeves (2nd, 3.31) and Sam Swygert (4th, 3.62) are among the SoCon leaders in ERA. Gant Starling gave the Bulldogs their second SoCon Pitcher of the Week accolade after six and two-thirds relief innings at VMI last week, joining Reeves who was honored back on April 10.
 
Western Carolina vs. The Citadel – The Series:
The Catamounts and Bulldogs have met 165 times previously on the baseball diamond dating back to 1971 with WCU holding a 96-69 advantage in the series. This weekend's three games are the first in Cullowhee since 2021 as the last six meetings were played in Charleston. Western Carolina has won eight of the last nine of the head-to-head meetings – and 11 of the last 14 overall back to 2018. The Catamounts hold a 52-25 record all-time against The Citadel in Cullowhee winning the last two played at home in 2021.
 
WCU and The Citadel have combined to win 44 conference championships all-time including 26 regular-season crowns and a combined 18 tournament titles. The Catamounts have won 23 total conference championships – 13 regular season and 10 tournaments – while the Bulldogs have won a total of 21 banners including 13 regular season and eight tournaments. The two programs have both advanced to the SoCon Championship game a combined 30 times and have met for the title six times – 1988, 1990, 1994, 1999, 2004, and 2010 – with the Bulldogs winning five titles over WCU.
 
On Deck for the Catamounts:
Following the weekend series against The Citadel, WCU has four remaining games on the 2023 regular-season schedule – each coming against a school from a Power Five conference. The Catamounts travel to Athens, Ga., on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. match-up against the Georgia Bulldogs at Foley Field before hopping a plane to the West Coast for a three-game series at Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., May 18-20.
 
WCU opens play in the 2023 Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases on Wednesday, May 24, at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.
 
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).
 

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2023 Catamount Baseball – Western Carolina (19-28, 6-11 SoCon) vs. The Citadel (21-23, 6-9 SoCon)
 
Game 1 – Friday, May 12 | 5:00 pm  | Buy Tickets | Coverage: ESPN+ | LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
CIT – RHP Cameron Reeves (7-4, 3.31 ERA; 11 app., 11 GS, 68.0 IP, 58K, 27BB)
WCU – RHP Gavin Mortenson (0-4, 7.7.12 ERA; 20 app., 2 GS, 36.2 IP, 28K, 15BB)
 
Game 2 – Saturday, May 13 | 2:00 pm | Buy Tickets | Coverage: ESPN+ | LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
CIT – RHP Sam Swygert (4-2, 3.62 ERA; 14 app., 9 GS, 54.2 IP, 52K, 20BB)
WCU – LHP Kyle Riesselmann (1-3, 8.14 ERA; 11 app., 10 GS, 42.0 IP, 33K, 11BB)
 
Game 3 – Sunday, May 14 | 1:00 pm | Buy Tickets | Coverage: ESPN+ | LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
CIT – TBD
WCU – TBD
 
 

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Game Day Reminders for Childress Field / Hennon Stadium:

• Fans must purchase a ticket to gain admission into the stadium seating and surrounding areas including the pregame festivities on Saturday for "Whee Love Canton Day" with the pregame concert and food truck off the right side of the facility;
• 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;
• Game day parking in the North Baseball garage and the South Baseball lot beyond the outfield fence is FREE … Click HERE for an interactive campus parking map ... Fans are encouraged to arrive early and anticipate traffic in the Cullowhee area as Saturday, May 13, is also WCU's spring graduation commencement. Additional parking is available in Camp Lab Lots 4A and 4B. Lot 73 located behind the Catamount Travel Center off Little Savannah Road is also available and will provide shuttle service to the Ramsey Center, which is within close proximity of Hennon Stadium.