Cullowhee, N.C. – Cole Jones delivered a walk-off, two-run single up the middle plating both Mason Holton with the game-tying run and Brayden Corn with the winner as Western Carolina rallied past mountain-rival UNC Asheville 9-8 in nonconference midweek action on Tuesday evening at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
WCU overcame an 8-2 deficit in the winning effort, scoring the game's final seven runs over the final four innings to earn its fifth-straight victory in the series with the Bulldogs.
 
Down by six runs and limited to only three base hits over the first five frames, Western Carolina started its rally in the sixth inning as Corn belted a lead-off, solo homer to make it 8-3. Then, just after the stretch, Trent Turner led off the seventh with a single before eventually scoring on Wyatt Stanley's pinch-hit RBI double to make it a four-run game, 8-4.
 
Three consecutive walks to start the eighth inning all scored to make it a one-run game through eight complete. Turner drove a sacrifice fly to left to plate Hayden Friese before Jack Spyke lifted a sac fly to right to bring Elijah Smith home. The Catamounts capitalized on a wild pitch that allowed Jones to touch home plate with the 8-7 margin heading to the ninth.
 
Holton opened the final frame with a sharp single into left field. Corn laid down the would-be sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position, but an errant throw on the attempt at first resulted in everyone being safe. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch which led to Friese being intentionally walked to load the bases with nobody out. Two batters later, Jones bounced a single up the middle that was just out of reach of shortstop Logan Lowe with his diving attempt deflecting the ball further into the outfield allowing both runs to score.
 

WCU's nine base hits were spread between eight different players with Turner (2-for-3) driving in three with a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly. Corn (1-for-4) had the solo home run – his third round-tripper in his last four games – with Wyatt Stanley (1-for-2) and Trey Spees (1-for-3) both doubling for the Catamount extra-base hits.
 
Jones (1-for-2) reached base three times in the win, drawing a pair of walks and his two-run single, while Spyke finished 1-for-1 with an RBI on the sacrifice fly.
 
The Bulldogs hit a season-best five home runs on a gusty afternoon at the ball yard including back-to-back long flies to open the game by Corbin Lanowitz (2-for-5) and Logan Lowe (3-for-5), the first in the career of the latter. Lowe added a pair of singles and a second RBI. Jake Minarik had the best day offensively for Asheville, going 4-for-4 and finishing a triple shy of the cycle with two home runs, a double, and a single, with three RBI. Cannon Pierce reached twice with an HBP and a two-run home run.
 
WCU reliever Griffin Guinther (2-1) earned the victory as the Catamounts completed the comeback in the ninth inning. Guinther struck out one in a hitless, scoreless ninth inning. Owen Austin shouldered much of the load, tossing three scoreless innings as he worked around three hits with three strikeouts. Kaden Fuller tossed an inning and two-thirds with a pair of unearned runs allowed in relief of starter Mason Holton, who struck out four but was touched for six runs – five earned – on eight hits.
 
UNC Asheville reliever Tony Lopez (0-1) was saddled with the loss, giving up two runs – one earned – on two hits with a walk and two total strikeouts in an inning of work. The first three pitchers for Asheville each worked just two innings apiece including Shea Walker, Branden Barna, and Daylinh Nguyen-Brown as seven Bulldogs toed the rubber in the tough loss.
 
Western Carolina (12-13, 1-2 SoCon) hits the road for the first time in Southern Conference play this weekend, traveling to Macon, Ga., to face the Mercer Bears (16-9, 1-2 SoCon) at OrthoGeorgia Park. Mercer hosts Georgia State on Wednesday before welcoming the Catamounts to town on Friday with the first pitch at 6 p.m. The series continues with a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1 p.m. Sunday finale. Live stats will be available for each game with Friday's opener to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).
 
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