CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball closes out its extended nine-game homestand hosting nationally-ranked #7 Tennessee on Thursday at 6 p.m. from the on-campus Catamount Softball Complex.
Coverage of Thursday's matchup with the Lady Volunteers is available on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats through CatamountSports.com.
A large crowd is expected for Thursday's WCU-UT meeting in Cullowhee so fans are encouraged to arrive early. Though admission is free, reserved seating in the grandstands for WCU students, and both team's pass lists will be blocked off with the remainder of the open seats available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Fans are encouraged to utilize "Hammock Hill" beyond the outfield fence for additional seating by bringing blankets and lawn chairs.
Here are some additional "Things to Know Before You Go" (KNOW BEFORE YOU GO)
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
WHAT: #7 Tennessee (22-4) vs. Western Carolina (7-11)
WHERE: Catamount Softball Complex (Cullowhee, N.C.)
WHEN: 6:00 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Sidearm Stats
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
TWITTER: @CatamountSB
GAME NOTES
Western Carolina is coming off of a 4-0 week that saw the Catamounts earn doubleheader sweeps of both Presbyterian and Georgia State at home in their most recent on-field action. WCU was led in those four games by freshman infielder Lily Bell, who went 11-for-14 (.786) to propel her batting average over .400 to a team-high .419. Senior Jeralynn Wells and junior Mattie Mentel posted 7-of-13 (.538) performances at the dish. Wells had two doubles, two homers, and six runs scored, while Mentel added four runs, a double, and a homer for WCU.
In the circle last week, junior Tessa Juett led the way with a 3-0 mark including a pair of complete games, with one of those including a 9.0 inning CG for the Berea, Ky. native. Juett totaled 22 strikeouts over 18.1 innings of work including a season-high of 10 K's against Georgia State last Wednesday. Redshirt sophomore Taylor Norton claimed the fourth win of the week for WCU as Norton tossed a three-hit shutout over Georgia State in an 8-0 run-ruled win against the Panthers.
Bell is third in the Southern Conference with a .419 batting average. The Catamount freshman has totaled 26 hits including base knocks in each of her last 11 games to pace WCU. The Woodstock, Ga. native is third in the league with nine steals. She also ranks among the top 10 nationally with a 62.0 strikeout percentage, only being struck out once in 62 at-bats in 2024.
Senior Savannah Baldwin is tied for fourth in doubles with seven two-baggers as 11 of her 18 hits have gone for extra bases to begin the 2024 campaign. Baldwin is also tied for seventh in RBIs with a team-high 17 runs batted in. Juett is tied for fifth in the SoCon with five wins while ranking second in strikeouts with 52.
Thursday marks the 23rd time in program history that the Catamounts have faced a nationally-ranked opponent on the softball diamond – and the second on the 2024 schedule as WCU battled #10 Alabama in late February during UAB's Green & Gold Classic. The matchup with Tennessee marks the most common ranked opponent that WCU has faced in program history, surpassing a tie with Georgia for the mark.
Riding the nation's longest win streak at 14 games, seventh-ranked Tennessee holds a 22-4 record after a three-game sweep to open Southeastern Conference (SEC) play against Missouri last weekend. The Lady Volunteers hold the 11th-best RPI in DI softball to begin the season, earning six wins over the top 50 RPI programs, led by a 2-1 extra-inning road win against No. 6 Clemson.
One of five All-SEC selections on the roster, Kiki Milloy leads the Lady Vols at the plate, recording a .450 average with 41 runs scored and a team-high 19 stolen bases. Milloy has tallied 19 extra-base hits including nine doubles, two triples, and a team-high eight home runs. McKenna Gibson, who joined Milloy on the preseason all-conference team, has a .395 average, totaling five doubles, four homers, and a team-high 26 RBIs.
First-team All-SEC selection Karlyn Pickens leads the way in the circle for Tennessee with a 12-2 record in 15 appearances, totaling 11 starts. Pickens has allowed only six earned runs in 76.1 innings, totaling 104 strikeouts for the Lady Vols. She's totaled nine complete games and eight shutouts thus far in 2024, as she's held opponents without an earned run over her last 46.0 innings pitched, which spans nine outings. As a team, Tennessee is third nationally in ERA (1.21), fourth in shutouts (12), and fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.95), led by Pickens.
Tennessee was picked to win the SEC in 2024 as the Lady Vols received six first-place votes from the coaches voting on the poll coming off the SEC regular-season and tournament titles for the first time in program history. UT reached the Women's College World Series semifinals for the first time since 2013. The Lady Vols are under the direction of Karen Weekly, who's in her 23rd season leading Tennessee and has totaled over 1,000 wins in her time in Knoxville.
Thursday's matchup represents the eighth all-time meeting between the two schools in softball. The Volunteers earned the 9-1 win in Cullowhee in the 2022 season. This year marks the second straight matchup between the two programs in Cullowhee after the first six meetings were held in Knoxville.
Following Thursday's action in Cullowhee, the Catamounts begin SoCon play on March 23 with a trip to Greenville, S.C., to battle chromatic rival Furman in a three-game series. The Catamounts and Paladins square off in a 1 p.m. twinbill before closing the series the following afternoon at 1 p.m. All three contests will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available at CatamountSports.com.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount softball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsb), or go to www.CatamountSports.com.
