JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – Western Carolina softball continued its season-opening weekend tournament on Saturday at the River City Leadoff, claiming a 5-1 win over Jacksonville for its first victory of the season before falling to the host North Florida 8-0 in five innings at the UNF Softball Complex.
Sophomore Lily Bell posted a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the plate on the day to lead the Catamounts, scoring twice and added a pair of steals to add to her impressive stat line to begin the 2025 season. To date, Bell is hitting .583 (7-for-12) with three runs, a pair of walks, and three stolen bases, boasting an on-base percentage plus slugging percentage of 1.226.
Graduate student Imara Harrell, junior Rylee Butler, sophomores Becka Wonsick, Maya McPherson, Sydney Dirks, and freshman AG Batson all got in the hit column in Saturday's twin bill. Harrell and Batson legged out their first doubles of the season, while McPherson picked up her first collegiate triple coming in the nightcap against UNF.
In the circle, Batson built upon her strong work on Friday night as she tossed her second straight complete game, allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts to earn her first collegiate victory. She dropped her ERA to 2.05 over 13.2 innings thus far.
Game One – Western Carolina 5, Jacksonville 1
Western Carolina used a fast start with three runs over the first two innings coupled with strong pitching from freshman AG Batson to defeat Jacksonville 5-1 in the opening contest of day two at the River City Leadoff.
The Catamounts wasted no time in the opening frame as Lily Bell drew a leadoff walk followed by a sacrifice bunt from Rylee Butler, who saw Bell slide into scoring position. Becka Wonsick drilled the first pitch she saw right back up the middle for an RBI knock and the early lead. Sydney Dirks continued the fast start with a single before a double steal allowed Dirks to swipe second while Wonsick scampered home to give WCU the early 2-0 lead.
The Catamount offense continued to push in the second with a one-out double from Batson and a quick advance to third before Tate Stewman reached on the Jacksonville error that pushed across a run to grow the WCU lead to three. Western Carolina continued to push the issue, loading the bases before the Dolphins closed the threat to keep it a three-run game.
Batson carried her solid work from Friday into Saturday, allowing single baserunners in each of the first two frames, but worked around the traffic without trouble to keep the lead at three. She picked up her first strikeout of the afternoon in the second.
In the home half of the third, Jacksonville created its best chance of the entire afternoon, putting a pair of runners in scoring position, but Batson continued to stay dialed in with a foul out to end the threat and keep the lead at three.
Jacksonville got on the scoreboard in the fourth as the Dolphins loaded the bases and plated a run on a sacrifice. But the damage was limited to one as the Catamounts threw out a runner at third base to thwart any further rally.
Western Carolina wasted little time extending the lead in the fifth with a Bell single and walks by Butler and Wonsick to load the bases before back-to-back sacrifice flies from Maya McPherson and Dirks allowed the lead to push to 5-1. In the frame's home half, Batson used her defense's help with a 6-4-3 double play to keep the lead at four.
WCU threatened in the sixth with a double by Imara Harrell and Bell single, but the Dolphins snuffed out the threat and tallied a one-out hit in their half as Batson continued to quiet the threat from the Dolphins.
Batson finished off the complete game on Saturday with just a two-out walk blemish in the final frame before securing her first collegiate win.
Batson (1-1) went the distance for the second time in as many starts with 7.0 innings as she scattered six hits and one run with four strikeouts to earn the victory.
Karson Johnson (0-1) got the start for the Dolphins, tossing 4.0 innings and allowing six hits with five runs as four of those were earned. Opening game starter Skylar Waggoner tossed a scoreless frame before Jordan White and Reese Wells, followed by perfect innings, including a strikeout for Wells and White.
Game Two – North Florida 8, Western Carolina 0 (5 Innings)
North Florida used a pair of multi-run innings including a four-run third and a three-run fourth to create the separation it needed as the Ospreys claimed an 8-0 victory in five innings over the Catamounts at the River City Leadoff on Saturday night.
Lily Bell opened the second game with a base knock and grabbed her third stolen base of the season before the Ospreys were able to thwart any chance to plate a run in the opening frame. Game two starter Tessa Juett worked around a one-out hit by pitch without harm to keep the scoreboard empty.
North Florida struck first in the second, though, taking advantage of a leadoff double, followed by a sacrifice bunt and RBI groundout, to take the 1-0 lead through two innings. UNF increased its advantage in the third inning with a pair of RBI singles before a pair of RBI doubles pushed its lead to 5-0 after three frames.
The Ospreys added to their lead in the fourth with a three-run homer before keeping the Catamounts off the scoreboard in the fifth to claim the 8-0 win. Bell added her third hit of the night in the fifth.
Juett (0-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs on five hits over 2.2 innings. Makenzie Martin pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing three hits and three runs.
Taylor Cook (1-1) opened the game for the Ospreys, tossing 4.0 innings and scattering three hits with six strikeouts. Ashley Connor pitched the final frame of Saturday's action, tallying three strikeouts.
The Catamounts close out their River City Leadoff weekend on Sunday at 12:30 p.m., battling the host North Florida from the UNF Softball Complex. Sunday's contest will feature live stats available at CatamountSports.com.
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