Cullowhee, N.C. – UNC Greensboro raced out to an eight-run lead through the opening third of Saturday's game then withstood a middle-inning rally by Western Carolina that saw the Catamounts close to within two runs through six complete. Yet, as they did in Friday's series opener, the Spartans kept WCU at bay in claiming their second 15-11 victory to win the Southern Conference series at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
The Catamounts were held scoreless in five of the nine innings on Saturday including the first three and final two, while UNCG plated runs in all but two frames in collecting the series victory.
 
The three-game set concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats through CatamountSports.com.
 
Junior transfer Mason Holton had his best performance in a Catamount uniform, finishing 4-for-5 with a pair of singles, a double, and a solo home run – his first of the season. His four hits paced five Catamounts with multi-hit games with Kyle Riesselmann reaching base four times in a 3-for-4 effort with a pair of doubles and two runs scored.
 
James Hinson (2-for-4) drove in four runs with a double and a three-run home run with Nate Stocum (2-for-6) plating two with a double. Hayden Friese (2-for-3) reached base four times, walking twice to accompany a double and a single. Zach Ketterman extended his active hitting streak to six-straight games with a solo home run, his second in as many days.
 
Six Spartans finished with multiple hits including four with three hits apiece as UNCG out-slugged WCU, 18-to-16. Aidan Brewer doubled twice in a 3-for-4 effort, recording a pair of stolen bases with two RBI. Caleb Cozart (3-for-5) reached base four times with an HBP, a pair of singles, and a double as the first baseman drove home a team-best four. Luke Holland (3-for-4) and Jake Ogden (3-for-6) also pounded out three hits, both with a double.
 
UNCG (19-14, 7-4 SoCon) plated four runs in the top of the first inning before tacking on three in the second and a solo marker in the third to pull in front 8-0 a third of the way through Saturday's game two. WCU got on the board in the fourth as Hinson walked before advancing to third on a double by Friese. Drew Needham collected the RBI on a sacrifice fly to make it 8-1.
 
After the Spartans recovered the run in the top of the fifth, WCU (18-14, 4-4 SoCon) used extra-base hits to push across three in the bottom of the fifth. Holton led off with a solo homer before Stocum and Hinson delivered run-scoring doubles.
 
UNCG responded with a two-spot in the top of the sixth inning to reclaim an 11-4 lead. In the home half, though, the Catamounts found five runs to cut the deficit to two, 11-9. Riesselmann and Stocum came through with run-scoring singles before Hinson blasted a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right for a three-run homer.
 
After the two squads exchanged five runs – three by UNCG and two by WCU – the Catamounts were held off the scoreboard between the eighth and ninth with the Spartans tacking on an insurance marker in the eighth to cap its second-straight, 15-11 road win.
 
WCU freshman starter Davis Budd (0-1) was tagged with the loss, surrendering seven runs on six hits with a walk and two hit batters before being lifted in the second inning. Relievers Shane Huntsberger and Dylan Wheeler both struck out two apiece over an inning and three innings, respectively. Freshman Griffin Guinther tossed an inning before Dusty Revis finished the final three out of the bullpen.
 
Spartans starter Jay Miller just missed qualifying for the win despite a solid start, scattering eight hits with four runs allowed over 4.2 innings. Reliever Danny Thompson Jr. (4-3) was credited with the win, allowing six runs on five hits over 1.2 innings but never relinquished the lead. Mayson Dear was a third of an inning shy of qualifying for the three-inning save, working around three walks and three hits with a run allowed over 2.2 innings.
 
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