Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina sent 11 batters to the plate in what proved to be a decisive six-run third inning on Saturday afternoon as the Catamounts claimed their Southern Conference series over the visiting Mercer Bears with a 10-3 victory at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday with 14 members of the Catamount baseball team and support staff to be honored in a special pregame Senior Day ceremony. Fans are encouraged to be in the stadium by 12:30 p.m. as WCU honors its seniors.
 
Western Carolina (25-23, 10-7 SoCon) tallied double-digit runs and double-figure hits for the second-consecutive day against the Bears, pounding out 12 hits a day after securing 17 in Friday's victory. The opportunistic Catamounts also capitalized on eight walks, a hit batter, and a fielding error. Even with the strong offensive performance, the outcome was still uncertain through the ninth inning as the Bears left the bases loaded as part of stranding 11 in the loss.
 
Senior outfielders Nate Stocum (3-for-5) and Kyle Riesselmann (3-for-4) combined to collect half of WCU's hits in the winning effort, both recording a trio of singles and together scored five runs. The remaining six hits were spread between six different players. James Hinson (1-for-4) ignited the third-inning rally with a solo home run while Zach Ketterman (1-for-4) doubled in the same frame, later adding a sacrifice bunt.
 
Mason Holton (1-for-3) reached base three times with a pair of walks to accompany a run-scoring single as he plated two. He was matched by Hayden Friese (0-for-1) who drove home two on a bases-loaded HBP and a sacrifice fly. Trent Turner (1-for-4) reached twice with an RBI single and a walk with Jack Spyke (1-for-2) singling and scoring in the third inning before leaving the game after an arrant foul ball caught him in the face. His replacement, Kyle Harbison (1-for-2) reached twice with a walk and a run-scoring single.
 
Also among WCU's offensive highlights was senior DH Drew Needham who drew three walks.
 
Catcher Carter Sanford (3-for-4) collected three of Mercer's eight hits including a bloop double in the ninth inning. The remaining five hits were spread between five different players with Jackson Cherry (1-for-4) doubling home two runs and Ely Brown (1-for-4) pushing home a run on a single in the ninth.
 
Hinson broke up a streak of seven straight retired by Mercer starter Jess Ackerman (5-4) with a one-out solo home run that carried the batter's eye in straightaway center field. His blast opened a streak of nine consecutive Catamounts to reach base with Stocum and Spyke both delivering a bases-loaded run-scoring singles to make it 3-0. Needham and Holton then turned the carousel with RBI walks before Friese capped the scoring barrage by plating a run on an HBP.
 
Friese collected his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to score Stocum in the fifth as WCU led 7-0 through five complete. Meanwhile, behind senior starter Dante Visconti (4-1), WCU faced just three hitters over the minimum through the fifth inning with just one Bear base runner reaching second base.
 
Mercer (26-24, 5-11 SoCon) got on the board in the sixth inning with a pair of walks sandwiched around a fielder's choice on a near double-play that put a pair of runners aboard. Cherry then doubled to right center to send two runners homeward before being stranded at third base.
 
Carrying its five-run lead into the final third of the middle game, the Catamounts tacked on three insurance markers in the eighth inning. Turner plated Riesselmann after a lead-off single and sacrifice bunt by Ketterman. Harbison then skipped one off the side of the mound up the middle to allow Turner to cross home with Holton capping the scoring with a sharp single through the left side to plate Stocum with the 10th run.
 
Mercer looked to capitalize on a few breaks in the ninth inning. Sanford lifted a pop-up down the left-field line where WCU's left side of the infield and left fielder Stocum all converged. Stocum called the ball but slipped while stopping to make the catch, allowing the hit to land. Sanford wisely took second as the relay from Turner was offline as he, too, slipped on the throw. After a harmless pop-up, Ely Brown singled up the middle to put the Bears back on the board with their third run. A single by Bradley Frye and a base on balls by Parker Lester loaded the bases.
 
However, Catamount closer Jonathan Todd tightened the screws to record consecutive strikeouts to end the threat and secure WCU's third conference series win.
 
Visconti was solid through his season-long six-inning start on Saturday, holding the Bears to two runs on just three base hits and he countered three walks with five strikeouts – his fourth time fanning five or more this season. Cole Beverlin tossed an inning of one-hit, scoreless relief with a strikeout, and Dylan Wheeler likewise punched out one against a walk and a hit in two-thirds of an inning. Todd threw the final inning and a third, allowing a run on three hits with a pair of strikeouts against two walks.
 
For Mercer, Ackerman (5-4) suffered the loss, tagged for six runs on five hits in the third inning, his final frame of work. Among the three relievers used by the Bears, Jeb Johnson was among the most effective in matching his career-long with 3.0 innings, striking out four against three walks with three runs on four hits allowed.
 
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