Atlanta, Ga. – Riding the wave of momentum from its third victory over a member of the Big Ten Conference with Wednesday's come-from-behind win over Michigan State at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., Western Carolina baseball continues a five-game road swing with three-straight against Sun Belt foe Georgia State beginning Friday at 6 p.m., and continuing Saturday at 2 p.m. before concluding Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Scoring six runs in the top of the ninth inning without the benefit of a run, Western Carolina (6-7) rallied past Michigan State by erasing a three-run deficit in the final frame. Brandon Langley (1-0) was superb in relief, striking out six of the seven batters he faced to earn the victory.
 
Georgia State has won four of its last five despite the midweek loss to nationally ranked Georgia on Wednesday. The Panthers have played 11 of their first 13 games at home, continuing this weekend with the three-game set.
 
Live stats for all three games will be available through links at CatamountSports.com.
 
About Western Carolina:
The Catamounts continue to swing hot bats to start the season, batting .333 as a team with 153 hits, including 52 for extra bases with 31 doubles, four triples, and 19 home runs. WCU ranks tied for 38th nationally with an average of 2.38 doubles per game. Eight Catamount regulars are batting above the .300 plateau with Mason Holton – who missed Wednesday's game in Greenville with illness – leading the way at .396. Just percentage points behind is Hayden Friese (.392) with a team-best 20 base hits.
 
Four Catamounts have three-or-more homers, led by Holton with four, while Friese, Trent Turner, and Elijah Smith each have three apiece. Smith holds the team lead with 21 RBI as six Catamounts have driven home double-digit markers.
 
The Catamounts are averaging 10.5 runs per game on offense while allowing an average of 10.9 per game.
 
With three double-plays against Michigan State – a 5-4-3 double play and two line drives caught by Trent Turner with a flip to the bag at second for the double-dip – WCU now has a SoCon-leading 13 double plays, tied for ninth in the NCAA and are tied for 24th in double-plays per game (1.00).
 
Hitting Double-Digits:

• Western Carolina has scored double-digit runs in eight of its 13 seasonal games this year, posting a 5-3 record in those outings … the Catamounts scored a season-high 27 runs in a seven-inning victory over Rider in the series opener;
• WCU has collected double-figure hits 10 times this season, though its streak of nine-straight games with double-digit base knocks was snapped against Michigan State with just eight … WCU had a season-high of 17 vs. Rider;
• The Catamounts have collected multiple doubles in 10 games this season with three-or-more two-base hits six times, including a season-high five doubles in a home win over USC Upstate on Feb. 18 … WCU had multiple triples against Michigan State;
• WCU has multiple home runs in five games with a season-best four in a losing effort against Rider (L, 16-15) in game one of a doubleheader last Saturday
• Catamount hitters have drawn double-digit walks three times to date – 11 against Maryland and 11 against Rider, with a season-high 17 free passes in game two of last Saturday's DH against Rider.

 
Catamount Active Hitting Streaks:
9 games – Trent Turner
8 games - Elijah Smith
7 games – Mason Holton, Jack Spyke
5 games – Brayden Corn
 
Longest Active Reached Base Safely Streaks:
22 games – Hayden Friese (includes a nine-game RBS streak to end 2024)
13 games – Trey Spees
11 games – Trent Turner
10 games – Brayden Corn
9 games – Cole Jones
8 games - Elijah Smith
7 games – Mason Holton,  Jack Spyke
 
About the Opposition – Georgia State Panthers:
Georgia State is off to a 10-3 start to the 2025 baseball season, falling most recently against fifth-ranked Georgia in Athens in the midweek. The Panthers earned series sweeps over Belmont and Alabama A&M, while also taking 2-of-3 from UT-Martin with midweek wins over Alabama State and Kennesaw State.
 
The Panthers are batting .328 collectively on the year with 142 combined base hits including 61 for extra bases with 33 doubles, six triples, and 22 home runs. GSU has been high-scoring this season, averaging 10.1 runs per game and has scored in double-figures six times. Panther pitching has limited the opposition to a .264 batting average against with just 78 runs (6.0 runs per game) on 116 base hits with 35 for extra bases – 22 doubles, two triples, and just 11 home runs.
 
Eight Georgia State individuals are batting above the .300 threshold with Kaleb Freeman hitting a team-best .419 with 10 doubles and four home runs. Jae Williams is batting .406, while Jae Williams leads seven players with double-digit RBI with 17. Norman Ross and Caleb White both have 2-1 records on the mound, while reliever Nick Holbrook has two wins in four appearances, all in relief. White leads four with double-digit strikeouts on the season with a team-best 23.
 
The Panthers were picked 11th in the stacked 14th team Sun Belt Conference. Georgia State is the second team out of the Sun Belt the Catamounts will face this season after opening the year at preseason No. 5 Georgia Southern to begin the year.
 
Western Carolina vs. Georgia State – The Series:
The Catamounts and Panthers have met 18 times previously on the baseball diamond with WCU trailing, 8-10 … Georgia State has won four straight in the series, including sweeping the three games in Cullowhee a season ago … This weekend marks the first meetings in Georgia since 2004 … the Catamounts have dropped four of the six previous road meetings.
 
On Deck for the Catamounts:
Western Carolina wraps up the five-game road swing on Tuesday, March 11, with a 4 p.m. first pitch at regional rival Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live streaming audio from the Catamount Sports Network available online at CatamountSports.com. WCU then opens an eight-game homestand with weekend visits from Eastern Illinois (March 14-16) and VMI (March 21-23) for 25). the Southern Conference opener, with mid-week visits from Big South foes Presbyterian March 18) and mountain-rival UNC Asheville (March 25).