Cullowhee, N.C. – Mason Holton doubled twice with a pair of RBI and Hayden Friese legged out a run-scoring double as part of a three-hit effort offensively while Dusty Revis struck out seven over a seven-inning start on Friday as Western Carolina evened its best-of-three Southern Conference series with Wofford with a 7-4 victory at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Trailing by a run after the top of the first inning, the Catamounts jumped on visiting Wofford in the home half of the opening inning with four runs on the way to an eventual 7-1 lead through five complete innings, capped by a three-run fifth. WCU's Revis and closer Brandon Langley held the Terriers in check over the final four frames to make the two big innings stand up for the win.
 
The series rubber match is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
After David Wiley belted a one-out solo home run to left center in the top of the first inning, the Catamounts countered quickly as four of the first batters reached successfully. Friese doubled home the tying run in Brayden Corn, who set the tone with a sharp single early in his at-bat. With runners at the corners, Jack Spyke reached on an RBI fielder's choice as Friese scored the go-ahead marker. Holton's first of two doubles put runners at second and third with Wyatt Stanley lifting a sacrifice fly to center and Elijah Smith singling up the middle to make it 4-1 after one.
 
Both pitchers settled in after the five-run, first-inning barrage with WCU's Revis (3-4) retiring eight-straight as part of sitting down 11 of the next 12 batters to end the first through the fifth inning. He allowed a lead-off single to Wiley in the fourth but erased him on a 1-4-3 double play. On the other side of the ledger, Wofford starter Branton Little (4-5) kept 11 of the next 12 batters off the bases with the lone runner coming on an infield fielding error.
 
In the fifth, the Catamounts used a two-out rally to push the lead to six, 7-1. Holton drilled a two-run double to left center to score Turner and Spyke before Wyatt Stanley doubled to right center to score Holton in the three-run frame.
 
Wofford started its march back in the top of the sixth inning using back-to-back base hits, including a single by Tanner Hardin and a triple by Niko Brini that alluded a diving Elijah Smith in right field. Brini scored on a wild pitch for the second run of the inning. However, after issuing his first walk of the day to put one on with nobody gone, Revis maneuvered through the inning with a strikeout, a tap back to the mound on the infield groundout, and Noah Quarless throwing out Wiley at third base to end the frame at 7-3.
 
Revis struck out two in the top of the seventh inning, his final frame on the mound. Against reliever Brandon Langley in the eighth, Wofford used a two-out, run-scoring single by Ryan Wynn to score Brini to make it a three-run game. Langley stranded two runners, though, with a strikeout to end the inning.
 
After having a runner caught stealing and ultimately leaving a runner at third base in the home half of the eighth inning, Langley used an infield groundout and a second caught-stealing by Quarless to get the first two outs. The Canadian-born hurler then struck out Brini to end the game and even the series.
 
Friese (3-for-4) doubled and led four Catamounts with multi-hit games, with Holton (3-for-4) doubling and scoring twice in a three hit effort. Elijah Smith (2-for-4) singled twice with an RBI, while Trey Spees (2-for-4) legged out a double before taking third on a miscue in right field by the Terriers in his two-hit effort.
 
Wyatt Stanley (1-for-3) had an RBI double to accompany a sacrifice fly. Jack Spyke singled to extend his active team-long reached base safely streak to 14 straight games.
 
Revis (3-4) tossed a season-long tying 7.0 innings, striking out six against two walks. He scattered five hits over his start, surrendering three runs. Langley tossed the final 2.0 innings of four-hit relief, striking out three against a pair of walks with one run scoring.
 
David Wiley (3-for-3) reached base four times with three hits, including a home run, two singles and a walk to lead the Terriers. Hardin (2-for-3) was aboard three times with a pair of singles and a walk, with Wofford's remaining four hits spread between four players. Andrew Mannelly (1-for-4) doubled, and Niko Brini (1-for-5) tripled, scoring twice as he also reached on a fielder's choice.
 
Wofford starter Branton Little (4-5) took the loss after being tagged for seven earned runs on nine hits with one strikeout. Grant Comstock struck out two in 2.1 scoreless innings with Austin Laughlin finishing the game, allowing two hits in an inning of work.
 
The series concludes on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Cullowhee.
 
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