Cullowhee, N.C. – Hayden Friese belted a seventh-inning grand slam home run as part of driving in all five of Western Carolina's runs on Saturday afternoon, but it was not enough as Eastern Illinois rode a strong start to claim the nonconference series finale 9-5 at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
WCU won best-of-three series after Friday's doubleheader sweep, but the Catamounts couldn't complete their first three-game sweep of the season with Saturday's loss.
 
Friese finished 2-for-3 with a single and the home run, plating a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly before his seventh-inning blast that flew through the wind gusts that plagued the three-game series. Cole Jones (2-for-3) singled twice and walked once to reach base three times for WCU, scoring two of the team's five runs.
 
Moving into the lead-off spot with the injury to Elijah Smith that sidelined the speedy outfielder, Jaylen Jones (1-for-3) reached base three times with a single and two walks. WCU's only other hit came on the first single of the year by Brody Raleigh, who made his first start in the designated hitter role.
 
All told, the Catamounts were limited by just six base hits, including five singles and the homer by Friese as the lone extra-base hit in the loss.
 
Eastern Illinois (6-10) had nine hits spread between seven players with lead-off batter Chris Worcester doubling in a 3-for-5 effort with two RBI and a run scored. Pierce Bauerele, Zak Goodwin, and Jake Ferguson each walked twice with Ferguson finishing 1-for-1 with a double and two RBI.
 
Consecutive hits to start the first inning led to EIU taking a lead it would never relinquish as Worchester doubled before scoring on the RBI single by first-baseman Tyler Castro (1-for-5). Ethan Rossi later plated a run on an infield groundout as the Catamounts were able to limit the early damage to just two runs.
 
However, the Panthers struck again in the second with a James Love single and walk to Ferguson chasing WCU starter Josh Ossiander (2-1). Reliever Cannon Pickell allowed the two inherited runners to score, though he minimized the damage with a pair of strikeouts to end the frame.
 
Western Carolina (9-11) got back on the board in the third inning as the first three batters reached with Jones and Raleigh singling before Jaylen Jones walked. Friese lifted a sacrifice fly to left to allow Cole Jones to score, but it would be the only run the Catamounts would manage despite the strong start to the inning.
 
Eastern Illinois seemingly put the game out of reach with a four-run fifth inning. With Pickell – who threw three innings in the midweek – at the end of his outing, back-to-back walks and a hit batter loaded the bases. Shane Huntsberger struck out the first batter he faced in relief for the second out, but a failed pickoff attempt at second base and a pinch-hit RBI single by Joey Hagen matched the early two-run innings. Ferguson then delivered a two-run double down the left-field line to make it a four-run frame before eventually becoming the third out, trying to score on an infield single by Quade Peters but was caught by Jack Spyke's throw home to Noah Quarless to end the inning.
 
After going in order in the fifth and sixth innings with a double-play ball and a 1-2-3 frame, WCU got something going in the seventh. Spyke hustled down the line to force an errant throw to reach base on an error to start the frame. Cole Jones and Jaylen Jones both walked before Friese belted a two-out, full-count pitch over the right field wall to claw the Catamounts back to within three, 8-5.
 
It would prove to be as close as WCU would get, though, as Worcester delivered a run-scoring single for an insurance marker in the eighth, and the Catamounts had just one base runner over the final two innings as Spyke again reached on an EIU error that provided the final tally.
 
Senior LHP Tyler Kapraun (1-2) scattered all six hits over 6.2 innings, working around three walks with five strikeouts to earn the victory for the Panthers. Nate Marshall collected his first save of the season, entering right after the Friese grand slam to toss the final 2.1 innings of hitless, scoreless relief with a strikeout.
 
Ossiander took the loss after being chased in the second inning. Pickell was again strong as he tossed a team-long 3.1 innings with six strikeouts countering three walks and a hit batter. Huntsberger struck out one over two-thirds of an inning before freshman Jacob Arnberger fanned one in 2.1 relief innings of one-run, one-hit relief. Kaden Fuller finished the game with two strikeouts among the five outs he recorded with a walk and one hit surrendered.
 
Western Carolina continues its eight-game home stand with five more at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium, welcoming Presbyterian to town on Tuesday in the first of three midweek meetings with the Blue Hose – two coming in Cullowhee. First pitch of Tuesday's game is set for 4 p.m., with FREE admission courtesy of Ingles. WCU opens Southern Conference play next weekend, hosting the VMI Keydets for a three-game weekend set beginning on Friday at 5 p.m., with Saturday at 2 p.m., and an early Noon start on Sunday.
 
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