Spartanburg, S.C. – Cole Jones homered twice, and
Trey Spees belted his first career round-tripper on Wednesday afternoon, but Western Carolina was unable to overcome 16 runs by USC Upstate over the game's first five innings as the Spartans scored the series split, holding off the Catamounts 16-10 in nonconference action at Harley Park.
Jones hit a two-run home run in the top of the first as the Catamounts took the early lead only to see the home-standing Spartans plate three in the bottom of the frame to lead by one through one. Spees delivered a game-tying solo homer in the second only to see USC Upstate plating two in the home half to retake the advantage, 5-3.
The see-saw affair continued in the top of the third inning as the Catamounts scored on a balk as
Mason Holton touched home before
Trent Turner plated both
Brayden Corn and
Hayden Friese with a two-run single to push WCU ahead for the final time. The Spartans hit a three-run home run as part of a six-run home half of the third inning before tacking on five more between the fourth and fifth innings to lead 16-6 midway through the game.
The Catamounts scored twice on sacrifice flies in the sixth inning with Jones homering for a second time in the seventh as part of WCU's comeback attempt. WCU pushed home its final run in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch that allowed Turner to score and provide the final tally.
Spees collected three of WCU's 12 hits in a 3-for-5 effort with his first collegiate homer. Jones (2-for-5) drove home three on his two home runs, with Turner plating two in a 2-for-3 performance, reaching four times adding an HBP and a walk. Holton likewise reached base three times with a pair of walks in an otherwise 1-for-2 outing with Corn reaching twice on walks and stealing two bases.
Hayden Friese (1-for-3) kept his team-long reached base streak intact with a walk and a double to accompany a sacrifice fly and Sunday's hero
Elijah Smith likewise legged out a double and added a stolen base.
Upstate's 18 base hits were spread between nine hitters with seven tallying multi-hit games including five extra-base hits. Cayden Wotipka (2-for-4) homered as part of a four-RBI effort and Wylie Waters (3-for-4) matched with four runs driven in, doubling as part of his trio of hits while adding a pair of walks to reach base five times. Scott Newman (3-for-6) and Vance Sheahan (2-for-6) also doubled for the home squad.
WCU reliever
Ryan White (0-1) was saddled with the loss, tagged with six runs – five earned – in just two-thirds of an inning of work after relieving transfer starter
Evan Langston (1.2 IP).
Shane Huntsberger was the most effective pitcher for the Catamounts, striking out four in three innings of scoreless, one-hit relief. He entered the game with the bases loaded and retired three straight to thwart the threat.
Kyle Beaty (1-0) earned the victory in relief, limiting WCU to two runs while scattering five hits over 3.1 innings out of the bullpen. He struck out one against two walks as Upstate pitchers struck out seven. Amp Phillips and Braden Consaul both struck out two to lead the team.
Western Carolina returns home for a four-game series against nonconference foe Rider that opens Friday at 4 p.m. and includes a Saturday Noon doubleheader before concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m. Friday and Sunday will feature
online audio broadcasts from the Catamount Sports Network with Saturday's twin bill will be streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required). Live stats for all four games will be available online at CatamountSports.com.
