MONTGOMERY, ALA. – Western Carolina softball saved the offensive push for late Saturday with five runs over the final four innings to propel the Catamounts past Houston Christian 6-5 in eight innings at the Stinger Classic. Houston Christian scored five runs in the opening three innings before Western Carolina produced the game's final five runs between the fifth, sixth, and eighth innings.
Freshman Lily Bell, sophomore Taylor Waitley, and senior Savannah Baldwin each tallied multi-hit games for WCU with Baldwin's bases-clearing double in the sixth proving to be a key in the rally. They each finished 2-for-4 with Baldwin tallying three of WCU's five RBI as a team.
Redshirt sophomore Taylor Norton tossed the final 4.1 innings in the circle, scattering three hits and striking out five Huskies to help stabilize the scoreboard while WCU made its rally.
The Catamounts got the scoring going quickly on Saturday as Bell reached on a Huskies throwing error, scampering over to third base before a sacrifice bunt from Maya McPherson plate Bell to give the Catamounts the early advantage.
Following a leadoff single from the Huskies, WCU starter Tessa Juett picked up a strikeout and foul out before Houston Christian got on the board courtesy of a two-run homer to gain the 2-1 lead. Juett added a second strikeout in the inning to limit the damage from Houston Christian.
In the second, WCU strung hits from Becka Wonsick, Taylor Waitley, and Bell, but the trio were left stranded on the basepaths to keep the deficit at 2-1. Juett sat the Huskies down in quick order in the second with a 1-2-3 frame, including her third strikeout of the day.
Sydney Dirks got in the hit column in the third with a one-out base knock, but after a fielder's choice and groundout, the Catamounts were held off the scoreboard in the frame.
Houston Christian worked a pair of one-out walks, and after WCU could record the first two outs of the frame, the Huskies took advantage of a throwing error that allowed two runs to scamper home. HCU tallied an RBI single in the inning, stretching the lead to 5-1 after three innings.
Houston Christian held WCU off the scoreboard in the fourth with a 1-2-3 frame, using its defense to roll a double play to end the frame following Waitley's second hit of the game.
In the fifth, Bell and Baldwin both tallied base hits, and Dirks followed with a sacrifice fly that allowed Bell to score and cut the WCU deficit to 5-2 after 4.5 innings. Norton carried her vital work in the circle to the fifth, sitting Houston Christian down 1-2-3 to keep the deficit at three.
WCU got the bats hot in the sixth inning with singles from Jeralynn Wells and Kennedy Stewman before Bell reached courtesy of a Huskies error. On her first pitch at bat, Baldwin lined a bases-clearing double to left center that allowed the Catamounts to even score at five.
In the seventh, WCU was retired in order and Norton worked around a two-run double with her fourth strikeout of the afternoon to push the game to extra innings.
The eighth inning began with international tiebreaker rules as Wells was placed on second for the Catamounts. Wonsick was able to sacrifice her to third base, and a Waitley popup saw Wells come into score on a Houston Christian throwing error.
In the bottom of the extra frame, Houston Christian used a first-pitch single to Waitley that saw the Catamounts backstop throw down to Bell for the first out at third base. Bell and Natalie Henry then connected on a throw to get the batter going from first to second for the out. Norton finished it with a strikeout to secure the comeback victory for WCU.
Norton (1-0) earned the victory by tossing the final 4.1 shutout innings, scattering three hits and totaling five strikeouts for WCU. Juett drew the start going 3.2 innings allowing five runs and two earned runs with three strikeouts.
Addy Prasifka was saddled with the loss for Houston Christian as she tossed the final three innings on Saturday, allowing four unearned runs and three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
The Catamounts tournament finale against host Alabama State has been canceled due to expected weather in the Montgomery area on Sunday. WCU returns to Alabama beginning on Friday, February 23, at the Green & Gold Classic hosted by UAB in Birmingham. WCU will square off in five games over three days, facing North Alabama, Alabama, Bradley in a pair of games, and the host Blazers. All five games will have live stats available on CatamountSports.com.
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