Statesboro, Ga. – Cole Jones and Brayden Corn lifted Western Carolina to the early two-run lead in Friday evening's 2025 season-opener at Georgia Southern. However, the homestanding Eagles scored 10 unanswered runs across four multiple-run innings including the decisive three-run second as the professor downed his student 10-2 on an abnormally chilly night at J.I. Clements Stadium.
 
In addition to representing the opening of year No. 3 under head coach Alan Beck, Friday's 2025 opener saw Beck face-off against one of the coaches that started his Catamount journey in long-time Georgia Southern manager – and a former Catamount himself – Rodney Hennon, who began his coaching career at his alma mater.
 
Beck spent seven seasons on the bench with Hennon in Statesboro making Friday's return bittersweet but rewarding for the two skippers.
 
Both teams finished with 10 base hits on Friday, though half of GS's knocks went for extra bases including four doubles and a two-run home run by Sean Smith in the home half of the fifth inning. The Catamounts stranded 10 runners on base in the loss, unable to find the timely hitting against Georgia Southern's pitching and strong defensive effort.
 
All told the Catamounts left runners on base in seven of the nine innings on Friday, retired in order just once in the eighth and a double play erasing a runner in the sixth.
 
Making a much-welcomed return to the Catamount lineup after being hampered with a lower-body injury that ultimately sidelined him, Jones made a strong statement on Friday by finishing a team-best 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI on a first inning ground out. Hendersonville product, junior transfer Brayden Corn, finished 2-for-4 with WCU's other RBI in his debut in the Purple & Gold, while true freshman Trey Spees singled twice in a 2-for-4 showing in his first college action.
 
Starting at first base, junior Hayden Friese doubled in his 1-for-5 effort, while Mason Holton walked twice in the lead-off spot to reach two times in the loss.
 
With Holton and Friese aboard in the top of the first inning thanks to a season-opening walks and two-base hit, Jones lit the scoreboard first in 2025 with a right-side ground out that advanced both runners. On the third pitch of his first at-bat as a Catamount, Corn laced a run-scoring single up the middle as Western Carolina quickly grabbed the 2-0 lead.
 
The Eagles got one of the markers back in the home portion of the first inning, putting runners at the corners on a pair of one-out singles. GS pushed its first run across on a would-be double-play ball that WCU recorded the force at second but could not relay to first. Revis ended the frame with the lead aft fanning JD Kaiser looking.
 
Georgia Southern got all the run production it would need in the bottom of the second inning, though, hanging a three-spot on the scoreboard thanks to four hits including a pair of doubles. The Eagles tacked on three additional two-run innings in the fifth, seventh, and eighth to distance themselves for the win.
WCU wasn't without its chances in the game. In the third, back-to-back two-out hits put a pair of runners aboard, but a strikeout ended the threat. Then in the fourth with the game still within reach, a lead-off walk and a two-out single put two on base before an inning-ending groundout again thwarted a scoring opportunity.
 
A one-out single gave the Catamounts life in the sixth only to see a double-play ground out kill the rally before it got started. And then in the seventh, again a two-out rally including a Trent Turner single and double to right by Jones moved a runner to second and third only to be stranded.
 
Junior RHP Dusty Revis (0-1) was saddled with the loss on Friday, only allowing four runs on six hits over four innings. The Marion, N.C., product struck out two with a walk as Catamount pitching combined for five strikeouts. Freshman Jacob Arnberger made his collegiate debut with a three-inning relief effort, likewise, surrendering four runs including two on the game's lone home run. Maret Drye and Ryan White combined for the final frame.
 
Louisville transfer Kade Grundy (1-0) – the son of Western Carolina Athletics Hall of Famer and former Catamount baseball standout Phillip Grundy – was awarded the victory in his Eagle debut after limiting WCU to two runs on six hits, countering a pair of walks with six of the team's 12 combined strikeouts. Jax Lewis scattered four hits over three relief innings with three punchouts, while Davis Smith finished the final two frames of hitless, scoreless relief also with a trio of strikeouts.
 
The three-game season-opening nonconference series between former longtime conference rivals continues Saturday afternoon with first pitch slate for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stat links available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
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