CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball rode the power of three home runs including two from junior Tessa Juett and a grand slam from freshman Becka Wonsick to score a 13-5, five-inning run-rule victory on Saturday afternoon in the series finale against UNCG at the Catamount Softball Complex. The run-rule win was preceded by the visiting Spartans claiming an extra-inning, 6-5 win in the doubleheader opener to split the day and secure the series win.
Juett led the Catamounts at the dish, finishing 3-for-5 (.600) with four runs scored and two homers in game two. Senior Jeralynn Wells paced the squad on Saturday with a pair of multi-hit games, while Wonsick tallied a 3-for-6 (.500) effort with her grand slam in game two and a game-tying solo shot in the first game. Freshman Sydney Dirks added three hits in the game two victory, which, along with Juett, paced the offense.
Game One – UNCG 6, WCU 5 (8 Innings)
Both teams had a big inning in the opening five frames before the two teams traded single runs in both the sixth and the seventh before an RBI single in the eighth proved to be the difference for the Spartans in the 6-5 extra-inning win.
UNCG pushed across four runs in the top of the first inning to grab the early lead. A one-out RBI single was followed by a two-run single before the Spartans drew a bases-loaded walk to force the fourth run home and give the guests the early 4-0 lead.
The Spartans put the pressure on Taylor Norton in the second as they loaded the bases before a foul out kept them loaded and sent game one to the home half of the second.
Both teams went quietly over the next full inning as 1-2-3 innings occurred on both sides, with Norton adding back-to-back strikeouts.
In the home half of the third, Taylor Waitley broke through in the hit column and was sacrificed to second before a Lily Bell single put runners on the corners. However, a caught stealing ended the Catamount threat and kept the deficit at four.
After a two-out double from the Spartans went unanswered in the fifth inning, the Catamount bats got hot and lit up the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning.
Wells opened the barrage with a lead-off single. After a Juett walk was followed by a sacrifice to move the runners into scoring position, Kennedy Stewman pushed the opening run of the inning across on an RBI single. Wonsick followed it up with a bunt single and a Bell RBI groundout. Savannah Baldwin's RBI single capped the four-run frame, which made it 4-4 after five.
The Spartans wasted little time regaining the lead in the sixth inning, though, as a two-out solo homer gave the guests a 5-4 lead. Wells tallied a one-out base knock in the bottom half of the inning, but UNCG got back-to-back outs, sending game one to the seventh inning.
In the home half of the final regulation inning, Wonsick turned on one to centerfield and snuck it over the fence to tie the game at five. The Catamounts threatened with a pair of singles from Bell and McPherson, but the Spartans kept the winning run stranded, forcing game one to the eighth.
In the extra frame, UNCG strung together three singles with the final hit resulting in an RBI base knock, giving the Spartans a lead at 6-5.
Needing to answer, the Catamounts put a pair of runners on, but a double play ball from the Spartans ended the threat and allowed the guests to claim the series and a game-one win at 6-5.
Martin got the start but only faced six batters, recording an out and allowing four earned runs on two hits with two walks. Taylor Norton (3-4) suffered the loss in game one as she entered and pitched the remaining 7.2 innings, scattering seven hits and allowing a pair of runs with four strikeouts.
Rhyann Jones started for UNCG but didn't factor in the decision. She went 4.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits. Salem Ward (7-6) picked up the win for the Spartans with 2.2 innings of work, allowing one run on five hits. Reese Byrd entered and got the final two outs of the game to record her first save of the 2024 season.
Game Two – Western Carolina 13, UNCG 5 (5 Innings)
WCU rode a six-run second and a five-run third that included two of the three Catamount homers to a run-rule victory 13-5 in five innings to cap off the weekend series with the Spartans.
UNCG threatened to open game two with a pair of runners reaching on walks and a single before Juett's first strikeout ended the first. WCU was retired in order in its half of the inning to keep things scoreless. Juett then racked up the strikeouts in the second with three more around a one-out walk.
In the home half of the second, Western Carolina opened with three straight singles from Dirks, Wells, and Juett before a Waitley sacrifice fly broke the scoreless tie. Mattie Mentel was plunked to reload the bases before Wonsick unloaded them with a grand slam to left center, pushing the advantage to 5-0 for the hosts after two frames.
UNCG (27-21, 9-6 SoCon) answered the five-run inning with a pair of runs of its own in the third on a two-run double to cut the deficit to three, 5-2 after 2.5 innings.
Western Carolina (14-27, 5-10 SoCon) put together its largest inning of the day in the third as Wells picked up another base knock before Juett deposited a two-run shot to left center. But the offense wasn't done there.
A Baldwin RBI single, followed by a run scoring on a fielding error from the Spartans, drove a fifth run across, and an RBI single from Dirks extended the lead to 11-2 after three innings.
The Catamounts sent 19 batters to the plate between the second and third innings, scoring 11 runs on eight hits to seize control of game two.
The guests had an answer in the fourth, connecting on a three-run homer to cut the deficit to six, 11-5. Juett responded with her second homer in as many innings, making it 12-5 after four. She controlled the circle in the fifth, adding her seventh strikeout of the contest.
After a Spartans error allowed Baldwin to reach and a McPherson single put two on, Dirks capped the game with an RBI single through the left side to give WCU the 13-5 run-rule win in the series finale.
Juett (11-12) went the distance for her 12th complete game of the season, tossing all five innings in the win, allowing five runs and six hits with seven strikeouts. The Berea, Ky. native broke a tie for seventh with Savannah Rice for career wins with her 24th as a Catamount. Juett also took fifth place in the program's record book with her 33rd complete game.
Maddie Spell (8-7) suffered the loss for the Spartans, tossing the opening 1.1 innings, allowing three runs and three hits with a strikeout. Reese Byrd pitched an inning of relief and allowed four runs and three hits before Chartrand pitched the final 2.1 innings with six runs, four earned allowed on five hits.
The Catamounts open their final road swing of the 2024 regular season on Tuesday, April 23, at 4 p.m. with a doubleheader against mountain rival Appalachian State from Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium. Coverage of both games with Mountaineers is available on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) and with live stats through CatamountSports.com.
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