CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball used a season-high 17 hits including five home runs to earn a 13-4 win over N.C. Central in five innings to close out the inaugural Catamount Classic on Sunday, splitting two games on the final day of the tournament. Kent State used late offense on Sunday morning at the Catamount Softball Complex to down the Catamounts 10-6.

Western Carolina did it with the long ball throughout Sunday as eight hits cleared the fences. Senior Savannah Baldwin and freshman Maya McPherson both tallied a pair of homers for the Catamounts. Jeralynn Wells, Kennedy Stewman, Sydney Dirks, and Becka Wonsick also each connected on big flies.

Over the doubleheader, WCU totaled a combined 27 hits led by Stewman, McPherson, and Lily Bell, who each finished with four hits apiece. Wells and Dirks totaled three in Sunday's twin bill. 

Game One – Kent State 10, Western Carolina 6 
Kent State scored multiple runs in three straight frames to erase Western Carolina's early 6-3 lead to rally to a 10-6 win over the Catamounts in the first game of Sunday's action.

Western Carolina had an offensive explosion in the second inning as Dirks connected on her first collegiate homer with the first pitch she saw. Following a Mattie Mentel double that hit the base of the wall, Stewman added an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0 before the frame was capped with another freshman in Wonsick going deep for a three-run shot to make it 5-0.

The Golden Flashes answered in the top half of the third with an RBI single before a two-run home run to cut the deficit to two, 5-3. The Catamounts continued to use the deep ball in the home half of the frame as McPherson connected on her first career round-tripper to stretch the lead to 6-3.

Kent State (10-8) answered in the fourth with a two-run single to whittle the deficit back to one at 6-5.

The guests held the Catamounts off the scoreboard as Kent State allowed a two-out infield single by Natalie Henry before the fielder's choice erased the threat.

The Golden Flashes took their first lead of the morning in the fifth with a pair of RBI singles, jumping in front by one at 7-6. WCU threatened to answer with a pair of baserunners, but the guests stranded the pair of runners.

The Kent State offense continued to push in the sixth with another two-run single that stretched the advantage to three as the guests kept WCU from the scoreboard headed to the seventh.

KSU added an insurance solo home run in the seventh. The Catamounts threatened with an infield single and a Golden Flashes throwing error, allowing two runners to reach. The threat was short-lived, as a strikeout and fielder's choice helped secure the win for the visitors at 10-6. 

Juett (1-5) tossed the final 1.2 innings, allowing three earned and four runs as she scattered seven hits in the relief outing. Martin made the start for WCU and went 4.1 innings, scattering five hits and allowing four runs with just one being credited as earned. Martin also posted a career-high with five strikeouts on Sunday. Taylor Norton also appeared in the circle, tallying an inning of work and allowing a pair of earned runs and three hits.

Megan Nuechterlein (8-3) tossed the final 4.2 innings for Kent State in relief, scattering four hits and picking up three strikeouts while allowing an earned run en route to the win. Ella Esterby and Macy Irelan also saw the circle for the Golden Flashes, going 1.1 and 1.0 innings, respectively, allowing three earned runs apiece but didn't factor into the decision. 

Game Two – Western Carolina 13, N.C. Central 4 (5 Innings)
Western Carolina hit a program single-game record-tying five home runs as a part of a season-high 17-base hit barrage that pushed the Catamounts past N.C. Central 13-4 in five innings.

NCCU struck first in the finale of the Catamount Classic with a one-out solo homer to gain the quick edge over the hosts. The lead would be short-lived, though, as, after a Mentel one-out single, Baldwin connected on her first homer of the season to push WCU in front to a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the afternoon.

In the second, Juett worked around a pair of baserunners without harm to keep the lead for WCU and allow the bats to stay hot.

After a pair of two-out singles from Juett and Wells, Bell disposed of a single back up the middle to push across Juett and stretch the lead to 3-1.

Juett sat the Eagles down 1-2-3 in the third to keep the lead at two as the Catamount bats woke up in a big way in the third. Baldwin opened the frame with a first-pitch solo homer to start the inning for her first career multi-homer game.

The line continued as Dirks added a base knock before a McPherson double put two runners in scoring position for Taylor Waitley to push one across on the RBI single. Stewman kept the line moving two pitches later with an infield single and stretched the lead to 6-1.

Juett added an RBI double before Wells belted a ball to straightaway center for a three-run shot, stretching the WCU lead to 10-1 after three.

NCCU threatened in the fourth with a leadoff double, putting runners on the corners with a two-out HBP. Juett induced a double play, though, to squash the threat. The Catamounts played solid defense throughout Sunday afternoon including the double play to force NCCU out of the inning.

WCU capped the scoring in the fourth inning as McPherson added her second homer of the day, a solo shot to lead off the fourth before Stewman joined the home run excitement with a two-run shot to race the lead to 13-1.

The guests pushed across three in the frame before Norton came in to get the final two outs and give the hosts a Sunday split.

Juett (2-5) got in the win column by tossing 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two strikeouts to her credit. Norton shut the door, recording the final two outs in the finale with a single hit allowed in her work.

Xenna Tompkins (1-2) suffered the loss as she went 3.0 innings, allowing seven runs and 11 hits in her start. Ashanti Eubanks tossed the final inning for NCCU, allowing six hits and six runs. 

The Catamounts continue their eight-game homestand with a doubleheader against Presbyterian on Tues., March 12, beginning at 2 p.m. The homestand closes on Wed., March 13, with a twin-bill against Georgia State beginning at 1 p.m. Both games will have live stats on CatamountSports.com and be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). 

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