Cullowhee, N.C. – Behind the power of four home runs – two by sophomore Maya McPherson - and a pair of strong pitching efforts from freshman Amanda Fulton and senior Tessa Juett, Western Carolina opened Southern Conference play with a 6-1 and 11-0 run-rule victory against mountain rival East Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Sophomore Lily Bell went 5-of-6 at the plate to lead the offensive attack with three runs scored, a double, and a triple as she drove in three. McPherson tallied three hits including the two homers with four runs scored. Classmate Sydney Dirks went 3-for-6 with her team-high tying sixth home run to total four RBIs. Sophomore Becka Wonsick had a pair of hits, including her first homer of the season.

In the circle, Fulton (8-2) opened the day with her team-high eighth complete game of the season as she struck out eight and only allowed one late run. Juett matched Fulton in game two as she had eight strikeouts in a five-inning complete game for WCU.

WCU improved to 2-0 to begin SoCon play for the first time since 2016 when the Catamounts downed ETSU in Johnson City to open the league slate. The team also improved to 12-4 when hitting at least one home run in a game this season, while also jumping to 10-3 when scoring at least six runs.

Game One – Western Carolina 6, ETSU 1
A five-run third inning added to an early marker gave freshman Amanda Fulton all the cushion she would need as the Catamounts began SoCon play with a 6-1 victory in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.

With a double, Lily Bell (3-for-3) led the offensive attack in game one, while Rylee Butler had a two-run single, and Maya McPherson connected on her first of two homers on the day. Six Catamounts recorded hits in game one, as four different players had an RBI in the winning effort.

After Fulton worked around a bases-loaded jam in the first inning with a pair of strikeouts, WCU got the offense going with an infield single by Bell before Courtney Marks took advantage of a Bucs defensive miscue to put two runners on. Butler sacrificed them over before a walk to McPherson loaded the bases. Sydney Dirks worked a seven-pitch walk that allowed Marks to score and pushed the Catamounts in front 1-0.

Fulton continued to pile up the strikeouts early with two more in the second as she worked around a two-out double without trouble and faced one over the minimum in the third with a heads-up play from Butler in right field to get a putout at first base.

In the home half of the third inning, McPherson went first pitch swinging and deposited her fifth homer of the season to double the lead to 2-0. Dirks added a one-out single, and after an ETSU miscue allowed Becka Wonsick to reach, Taylor Waitley loaded the bases with a single through the right side.

Dirks came in on a wild pitch before a walk to Natalie Henry reloaded the bases. Bell lined a single to the right side to give WCU the 4-0 advantage. Butler's two-run single capped the five-run frame to provide the Catamounts with a 6-0 lead after three innings.

The offenses were quieted in the middle stages as a Bell double – her team-high seventh of the season – was the only extra-base hit through the fourth and fifth innings.

In the sixth, Fulton recorded three strikeouts in a quick top half of the frame for WCU.

ETSU picked up a sacrifice fly in the seventh to break up Fulton's bid at the shutout, but the guests were only able to plate one run, and WCU claimed the 6-1 SoCon opener.

Fulton (8-2) tossed her eighth complete game of the season on Saturday, scattering six hits and allowing just one run with eight strikeouts.

Marissa Barnes (1-3) suffered the loss for ETSU, as she went 2.1 innings, allowing four hits and five runs, with only two being earned. Catlin Pennington finished the opener for the Bucs, going the final 3.2 frames, scattering four hits, and allowing one unearned run.

Game Two – Western Carolina 11, ETSU 0 (5 Innings)
Riding the momentum of the opening victory, Western Carolina raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning and added a pair of three-run frames in the third and the fourth to claim an 11-0 run-rule victory against ETSU (10-20, 0-2 SoCon) in game two and complete the doubleheader sweep.

Lily Bell (2-for-3), Maya McPherson (2-for-2), Sydney Dirks (2-for-3), and Becka Wonsick (2-for-3) accounted for eight of WCU's 10 hits as McPherson, Dirks, and Wonsick each homered as part of the game two offensive explosion for the Catamounts.

After a scoreless opening frame, McPherson torpedoed a solo blast over the left field fence in the second to give WCU the early lead. The offense continued with an RBI single from Tate Stewman before a two-run triple from Bell allowed the lead to swell to 4-0. The second inning was capped by Courtney Marks with an infield single, scoring Bell and making it 5-0 WCU.

Tessa Juett had plenty of cushion in her game two start as she totaled five strikeouts over the opening three innings as the Bucs struggled to get any traffic on the bases early.

In the home half of the third, McPherson continued to swing a hot bat with a single before Dirks went the other way to right for her team-high tying sixth homer of the season and a seven-run lead. Three pitches later, Wonsick was able to sneak one just over the yellow fence line and allow the lead to swell to 8-0 after three innings.

The Catamounts added to their lead in the fourth with an RBI single from Dirks before a bases-loaded walk to Waitley and a fielder's choice that scored McPherson that gave WCU the 11-0 lead.

Juett worked around a two-out single without trouble as she tallied a late strikeout with WCU securing the 11-0 game-two win.

Tessa Juett (6-6) earned the victory, going the full five innings, scattering five hits, and tallying eight strikeouts to grab her second win in the circle this week. With her eight strikeouts, Juett now has passed Mendy McKenzie (382, 2006-07) for third in career strikeouts as the Berea, Ky. native has totaled 386 in her career.

Eden Muncy (2-6) started for the Bucs, going 2.1 innings as she allowed eight hits and eight runs with a pair of strikeouts. Cameron Lauretta picked the final 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and three runs in relief work.

Western Carolina (17-14, 2-0 SoCon) is back in action on Sunday afternoon for the series finale against mountain rival ETSU. The finale with the Bucs is slated for 1 p.m. and will have live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.

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