Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball split a Saturday doubleheader, rallying late before ultimately falling 16-15 in a game one slugfest before routing Rider 18-2 in the nightcap to grab a 2-1 series lead heading into Sunday's finale at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
WCU tallied its second double-digit inning of the weekend with a 10-run sixth in game one to erase a nine-run deficit and take a one-run lead in a scheduled seven-inning affair. But Rider scored the game's final two runs, including a game-tying home run after the Catamounts had used the long-ball to cap their rally. In game two, WCU scored in five of the six innings it took swings with five multi-run innings to cruise to the Saturday split.
 
Senior Mason Holton and sophomore Elijah Smith were among the offensive heroes in Saturday's two games, both collecting six hits apiece. Smith was 6-of-8 with three doubles and his second grand slam homer in as many days to account for his nine RBI, while Holton homered three times to accompany a trio of singles for his six base knocks with eight runs driven in.
 
Redshirt junior Cole Jones collected three singles and six RBI in the twin bill, while junior Hayden Friese doubled with a trio of singles in Saturday's two games in plating three runs. Freshman Trey Spees drew four walks between the two games while redshirt freshman Wyatt Stanley matched with four walks in game two alone.
 
Western Carolina (5-6) has now scored double-digit runs in six-straight games – and seven of the last eight overall.
 
The series concludes on Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. Live audio from the Catamount Sports Network will be available online beginning at 12:45 p.m. through CatamountSports.com.
   
Game One – Rider 16, Western Carolina 15
Trailing by nine runs through six innings of a scheduled seven-inning game, Western Carolina plated 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by a game-tying grand slam home run by Elijah Smith followed by a go-ahead round-tripper by Mason Holton as the Catamounts took a 15-14 lead.
 
However, Rider's Kyle Neri knotted the game on the first pitch in the top of the seventh inning and reclaimed the lead on a run-scoring single in the eighth on the way to a 16-15 victory in game one of Saturday's twin bill.
 
Smith finished 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a home run, driving home five for a second-consecutive game after five RBI in Friday's win. His home run was his second grand slam in the last two games. Holton (3-for-5) homered twice with four RBI, reaching base four times in the loss. Cole Jones recorded three RBI, including two on a sixth-inning single.
 
Rider's Kyle Neri led the Broncs, reaching base five times in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate with two home runs and seven RBI. Erich Hartmann (3-for-6) singled twice and doubled with four runs driven in, while Will Gallagher (2-for-3) drove in two on a sacrifice fly and a RBI-single.
 
WCU reliever Griffin Guinther (0-1) was saddled with the loss, surrendering two runs on three hits over an inning and a third out of the bullpen with a pair of strikeouts. Brandon Langley struck out two for his two-thirds of an inning in the eighth. Starter Spenser Hamblen tossed a team-long 3.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with two strikeouts against a walk. Jacob Arnberger worked around three walks with a pair of strikeouts, giving up four runs – two of which were earned.
 
Reliever Jake Dorety (1-0) struck out four over three innings in earning the victory, tagged for two runs on two hits with a walk. Brian Young charted three strikeouts against two walks, giving up five runs – four earned – on six hits in 3.2 innings in the start for the Broncs.
 
Game Two – Western Carolina 18, Rider 2
Western Carolina pounded out 15 base hits and capitalized on 17 walks issued by Rider pitching as the Catamounts earned the doubleheader split with an 18-2 win in game three of the series.
 
Opening with a four-run first, the Catamounts scored nine runs over the first third of the game before tacking on nine additional runs between the fourth and sixth innings for the victory. Rider managed a pair of solo runs, taking advantage of two errors on one play to eventually score its first run in the fourth before pinch hitter Peter Crespo hit a pinch-hit solo homer in the top of the seventh.
 
Five Catamounts posted multiple-hit games with the top two in the Catamount order – Mason Holton (3-for-5) and Hayden Friese (3-for-4) – finishing with three-hit outings. Holton hit a three-run home run as part of plating four, reaching base four times while Friese drove home two, reaching base five times by adding a pair of walks. Cole Jones drove in three in a 2-for-4 performance with two walks, while Cam Murray (2-for-3) reached four times with two run-scoring singles.
 
Catamount starter Josh Ossiander (2-0) was credited with the win after striking out four over two walks in 4.2 innings of work in the scheduled seven-inning game. He allowed one unearned run on five base hits. Shane Huntsberger and Cannon Pickell both fanned three apiece in relief.
 
Rider starter Chris Montone (0-1) took the loss after giving up eight runs over two and a third innings of work with four walks.
 
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