Clinton, S.C. – Freshman Trey Spees jumpstarted a six-run rally in the top of the third inning with a solo home run as Western Carolina jumped out to a 9-2 lead over the opening five frames on Tuesday evening at Presbyterian before holding off the Blue Hose rally in scoring a 9-7 road victory at the PC Baseball Complex.
 
Spees (2-for-4), who collected both of his hits in the six-run frame, hit the first of three home runs for the Catamounts who halted a four-game losing skid and a five-game winless drought on the road. Trent Turner (1-for-3) skied a two-run homer over the left field fence in the fourth inning and redshirt freshman Josh Ossiander (1-for-3) belted his first round-tripper with a solo blast in the fifth inning to help the Catamounts build their advantage.
 
Elijah Smith (2-for-5) singled twice to match Spees with a multi-hit game with both Jack Spyke (1-for-4) and Noah Quarless (1-for-5) legging out two RBI doubles. Moved into the lead-off spot in the lineup, Hayden Friese (1-for-2) reached base four times with a base hit, two walks, and an HBP.
 
Presbyterian (16-19) had four players record multi-hit games with Matthew Rollison matching a school record with three doubles as part of a 4-for-5 effort. Trey Fenderson (2-for-4) reached base three times with Connor Bradley (2-for-5) and Jake Randolph (2-for-5) both singling twice. A mid-game substitution in the outfield, Rhogue Wallace (1-for-2) hit a three-run, seventh-inning home run for the Blue Hose to help spur a five-run seventh that pulled the hosts back to within two runs.
 
Spees broke open a scoreless tie with a first-pitch, lead-off home run in the top of the third inning that ignited WCU's offense on Tuesday evening. Spyke spurred the rally with a two-run double that plated Turner and Brayden Corn. Two batters later, Quarless slapped a two-run double inside the bag down the third-base line to cap scoring at 6-0.
 
In the fourth, Hayden Friese reached on a base knock to right field ahead of Turner who connected on a big fly to left with the two-run homer handing the Catamounts an 8-0 lead.
 
Presbyterian managed a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth inning as Rollison doubled and Bradley singled to put two aboard. With the bases loaded, Brody Linker bounced into a double play with Rollison scoring on the play. The Blue Hose tallied a second run as Eli Lazio got caught in a pickle between second and third that allowed Bradley to touch the dish before the third out was recorded on the caught-stealing tag.
 
Ossiander's first career homer got one of the markers back as WCU led 9-2 through five complete.
 
Following a 1-2-3 home half of the sixth, Presbyterian mounted its best offensive inning of the game in the seventh by plating five runs including a three-run home run by Wallace to pull to within two. The Catamounts were able to get out of the seventh and limited the Blue Hose to a bunt single in the eighth in securing the road victory.
 
Freshman starter Carter Burnette (2-0) was credited with the victory after limiting Presbyterian to two runs while scattering six hits over four innings in the short start. Classmate Gavin Maines tossed an inning of hitless, scoreless relief with graduate transfer Brent Walls keeping PC off the scoreboard with a strikeout against a pair of singles in his WCU debut.
 
Catamount freshman John Lobs tossed a third of an inning with Ryan White striking out one over an inning and two-thirds, surrendering an unearned run on two hits but stemming the tide in maintaining the late edge on the scoreboard. Canadian-born Brandon Langley scored his sixth save of the season, striking out the side in the home half of the ninth inning to preserve the two-run victory.
 
Presbyterian starter Mason McDaniel – who tossed 4.2 innings of two-hit, scoreless relief in the first meeting in Cullowhee – was saddled with the loss as the Catamounts scored six runs – only two of which were earned – on six hits in his three innings of work. The Blue Hose used six relievers to finish the game with just Brooks Chamberlin pitching two innings while allowing a run on one hit.
 
Western Carolina (17-19) returns home and to Southern Conference play this week as it welcomes the Wofford Terriers to Childress Field / Hennon Stadium for a three-game set beginning on Thursday at 5 p.m. Friday's game two is scheduled for a special 4:30 p.m. start in a game that will be broadcast regionally on TheCW 62. Saturday's series finale is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
 
Each game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
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