Charleston, S.C. – Trent Turner delivered a two-run single in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock and the Catamounts tacked on an insurance marker in the top of the ninth inning as Western Carolina upended The Citadel 5-3 on Friday evening at Riley Park to win the Southern Conference series.
 
Turner's two RBI matched Kyle Riesselmann who led WCU with a 3-for-5 performance including a solo home run. Riesselmann was one of three Catamounts with multi-hit games as Hayden Friese stayed hot at the plate, reaching three times with a 2-for-4 effort with a walk, and James Hinson who likewise tallied a pair of hits. Nate Stocum (1-for-4) posted his third extra-base hit of the series with an early double as the Catamounts pounded out 12 hits on the day – but stranded 13 base runners in the win.
 
Held to just four hits on Thursday, The Citadel managed six base knocks on Friday with Sawyer Reeves (2-for-4) and Thomas Rollauer (2-for-3) collecting four with the remaining two spread between Travis Elliott (1-for-4) and pinch-hitter Matthew Lively (1-for-2). Rollauer doubled and reached a third time on a walk for the home squad.
 
Friday's game worked into the third inning scoreless despite scoring chances for both squads over the opening two frames. Stocum's two-out double gave WCU an opportunity in the first inning while the Bulldogs loaded the bases in the home half with two HBPs and a walk but were turned away. An inning later, Friese reached on what was ruled a single and two-base error on one dropped into center field but was left at third base.
 
Riesselmann broke the scoreless affair with a one-out solo home run over the fence in left field to push the Catamounts ahead 1-0 through three. In the fourth, Riesselmann struck again as Zach Ketterman reached on a one-out walk and was moved to third on a single by Hinson. Riesselmann then collected his second RBI of the day as he deposited a run-scoring single into center for the two-run advantage.
 
The Bulldogs responded, though, in the home half of the fourth. A Travis Lott walk and Rollauer bunt single put two aboard with both sacrificed further into scoring position. Anthony Hausner then plated the first run on an infield groundout with Travis Elliott tying the game with an RBI single up the middle.
 
Friday's game hung in the balance in the middle innings with zeroes put on the scoreboard between the fifth and seventh before the Catamounts pulled back in front in the top of the eighth. WCU stranded four on base in the middle innings while the Bulldogs managed just one batter over the minimum despite two singles as WCU flipped a double-play.
 
In the eighth, Ketterman reached on a lead-off infield single before Mason Holton sacrificed him into scoring position. Riesselman then legged out a two-out infield single in the infield, diving to the bag at first to beat the pitcher charging to the base that allowed Ketterman to reach third. Turner then laced a two-run single to right center with both Ketterman and Riesselmann scoring for the 4-2 edge.
 
The two-run lead was short-lived, though, as the Bulldogs used a Rollauer double to score Reeves from second base and make it a one-run game headed to the ninth.
 
In the final frame, WCU found an insurance marker as Stocum led off with a walk to set the trend for the inning. Friese and Needham likewise reached on free passes to load the bases before Holton secured a fourth freebie with an RBI base on balls to provide the final tally.
 
Reliever Dusty Revis (4-1) earned the victory for the Catamounts, tossing 3.2 innings with one run on just four hits allowed. Starter Davis Budd struck out a career-best five over his four-inning start, limiting the Bulldogs to two runs on just two hits while working around a pair of walks and two HBPs. Jonathan Todd picked up his fourth save of the season by recording the final four outs of the game with two strikeouts, working a 1-2-3 ninth as WCU claimed the series.
 
Bulldog reliever George Derrick Floyd (1-2) took the loss after surrendering two runs on six hits despite a team-best four strikeouts. Starter Landon Slemp worked around six hits over 4.1 innings before being lifted, striking out two to counter a pair of walks.
 
The SoCon series concludes on Saturday with game three from Riley Park in Charleston. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available through a link online at CatamountSports.com.
 
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