Johnson City, Tenn. – Brayden Corn doubled as part of collecting a team-high three hits, and Dusty Revis struck out seven over a seven-inning start on Saturday, but the Catamounts were unable to solve the East Tennessee State pitching staff in dropping game two of its Southern Conference series 3-1 at Thomas Stadium.
 
The series concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch in eastern Tennessee. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), and live stats will be available online through links at CatamountSports.com.
 
Corn (3-for-4) recorded half of WCU's six hits in the loss, with his eighth-inning double ending a string of 20 consecutive singles over a three-game span for the Catamounts. Jack Spyke (1-for-4) doubled in the ninth, which brought the game-tying run to the plate, although WCU was unable to find the equalizer. Trey Spees (1-for-3) and Elijah Smith (1-for-3) tallied the remaining two base hits.
 
Scoreless entering the home half of the fifth inning, ETSU (24-9, 5-3 SoCon) found all the runs it would need with a two-out rally. Blake Jacklin extended the inning with a single through the left side before Grant Gallagher walked to put two aboard. Cooper Torres broke the tie with a run-scoring single to left field, and Tristan Curless added an RBI single back up in the middle for the 2-0 edge through five complete.
 
Western Carolina's best chance of the day came in the top of the sixth inning as three consecutive singles – two on bunts by Spees and Corn sandwiched around a single to right field by Smith – loaded the bases with nobody out. WCU grounded into a double play, though, with one run scoring but squashing the chance at the big inning as the Catamounts clawed to within a run, 2-1.
 
The rally was short-lived, though, as ETSU got the marker back in the home half of the frame as Axel Melendez belted a lead-off, solo homer over the fence in right-center to reclaim the two-run cushion.
 
The Catamounts managed just three base runners over the final three frames on Wyatt Stanley's seventh-inning HBP and the doubles by Corn and Spyke in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, as WCU dropped the series with Saturday's two-run defeat.
 
ETSU managed just seven base hits, with the Melendez (1-for-3) homer marking the only one for extra bases in the win. Joey Little finished 2-for-4 with a pair of singles to lead the Buccaneers with the remaining five hits spread between five players. Gallagher (1-for-3) reached twice with a single and a walk, with Jacklin (1-for-4), Torres (1-for-4), Curless (1-for-4), and Melendez (1-for-3) rounding out the offense for the home squad.
 
Dusty Revis (2-4) was again a tough-luck loser for the Catamounts despite limiting the Bucs to three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts countering three walks. Brandon Langley struck out one in his inning of relief work to keep the game within reach in the eighth inning.
 
ETSU's Jace Hyde (5-0) remained unbeaten on the year, limiting WCU to one run while scattering four hits over five innings and striking out four against a walk in the win. Brady Frederick earned his first save of the year, striking out four in four innings of two-hit, scoreless relief.
 
Game three of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. ETSU looks for its first conference series sweep while WCU looks to salvage a game on "get away" day in Johnson City.
 
Keep track of everything related to WCU Athletics and Catamount baseball, including any game day schedule changes through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).