Rock Hill, S.C. – Western Carolina softball began the Eagle Classic using the power of four home runs and a pair of complete games in the circle to defeat Boston University 3-1 before dispatching of tournament host Winthrop 4-1 on the opening day from the on-campus Eagle & Terry Field.
Sophomore Maya McPherson homered in both games and junior Rylee Butler and sophomore Sydney Dirks also homered in the Friday sweep of the Eagles and the Terriers. McPherson led the offensive attack with four hits, including her two homers. Dirks had three hits including a home run of her own, while sophomore Lily Bell, senior Mattie Mentel, Natalie Henry, and sophomore Becka Wonsick each tallied two hits apiece.
In the circle, senior Tessa Juett opened the day with a complete game, striking out four and scattering four hits with one run allowed to grab the game-one win. Freshman Amanda Fulton continued her dominant stretch of pitching, tossing a complete game with seven strikeouts as she scattered seven hits with one run allowed to grab her team-high fifth win.
Game One – Western Carolina 3, Boston University 1
Tied at one in the bottom of the fifth inning, sophomore Sydney Dirks went the other way to right-center field to put WCU in front 3-1 before senior Tessa Juett finished off the complete game as the Catamounts claimed the 3-1 win in the tournament opener.
Scoreless through two, Tessa Juett sent the Catamounts to the plate in the bottom of the third after a 1-2-3 top. Maya McPherson then belted a two-out homer to straightaway center to put the Catamounts on the board.
However, the Terriers answered in the fourth with a two-out solo homer to even the score at 1 despite a pair of strikeouts by Juett.
Bell collected her fourth double of the season in the fifth inning but neither team was able to convert in the frame.
After working around a two-out double without harm in the sixth, Mattie Mentel lined a double to right center before Dirks went to the opposite field over the right-center fence and made it 3-1 heading to the seventh. Boston put its leadoff runner aboard with a single, but Juett buckled down and got three straight outs to help secure the game-one win of the weekend in Rock Hill.
Juett (2-5) went the distance for the third time on the year, allowing four hits and one earned run with four strikeouts to earn the victory. With the win, she took third place for career wins in WCU history with 29, breaking a tie with Courtney Buchanan (2014-17), who totaled 28 wins in her Purple & Gold career.
Ava Johnson got the start for the Terriers but didn't factor into the decision as she went 3.0 innings, allowing four hits and one run with three strikeouts. Kasey Ricard (5-6) suffered the defeat in relief, allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
Game Two – Western Carolina 4, Winthrop 1
In a tight battle with host Winthrop, sophomore Maya McPherson and junior Rylee Butler both connected on two-run homers and freshman Amanda Fulton grabbed her fourth straight complete game win in the circle as the Catamounts earned a 4-1 win over the Eagles.
After a scoreless first, Maya McPherson drew a walk followed by a bunt single from Mattie Mentel before Sydney Dirks picked up an RBI single to load the bases. However, the Catamounts were held scoreless with three straight outs.
In the third, following a one-out single from Courtney Marks, McPherson deposited the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to give WCU a 2-0 lead headed to the bottom of the frame. Fulton worked around a two-out single without trouble to keep the lead at two.
WCU increased its lead in the fifth with a one-out solo homer off the bat of Rylee Butler. Winthrop cut into the lead with a one-out RBI single to make it 4-1 after five complete.
Both teams left a pair of runners on in the sixth inning and WCU tried to threaten in the seventh without fortune. Winthrop put two on in the home half of the seventh before Fulton ended the game with a pair of strikeouts to secure the 4-1 win.
Fulton (5-1) tossed her fourth straight complete game on Friday, scattering seven hits and one run with seven strikeouts. Fulton has tallied a 4-0 record with a 1.00 ERA in her past four complete games, allowing four earned and recording 31 strikeouts.
Lonna Addison (6-3) suffered the defeat, allowing six hits and four runs over 4.1 innings of work with three strikeouts. Katie Beck went a scoreless inning with a strikeout, and Madelyn Miller went 1.2 innings of scoreless work as she scattered four hits and added a strikeout.
The Catamounts continue the Eagle Classic on Saturday, March 8, with a doubleheader against Norfolk State beginning at 12:30 pm and a rematch with Boston University at 3 p.m. from Winthrop's on-campus facility. Both games will have live stats available through links on CatamountSports.com.
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