Asheville, N.C. – Hayden Friese tripled to right field to plate Jackson Lyda with the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning on Wednesday evening as Western Carolina fended off mountain rival UNC Asheville's feverish rally over the final four frames as the Catamounts completed the seasonal sweep of the nonconference home-and-home with a 14-13 victory at Greenwood Field.
 
Wednesday marked the second one-run victory for the Catamounts over the Bulldogs this season as WCU rallied from an 8-2 deficit to score a walk-off 9-8 win back on March 25. It was also the third one-run win amidst WCU's current six-game series win streak.
 
The Catamounts used four multi-run innings, including a five-run second that included just three base hits, to build a 10-run, 11-1, lead after the top of the sixth inning in a game delayed 25 minutes by pregame rain showers. In the home half of the sixth, the home-standing Bulldogs started a run that saw the hosts outscore WCU 12-to-5 over the final four frames, including consecutive three-run innings in the sixth and seventh, and capped by a six-run eighth inning. Patrick Gillen put the exclamation point on the six-run eighth with a game-tying three-run homer to knot the game at 13.
 
Freshman Jackson Lyda, a seventh-inning substitution, drew a lead-off walk in the visitor half of the ninth inning before redshirt freshman Yates Sikes, who was making just his second start of the season, pushed a perfect sacrifice bunt to put Lyda into scoring position. Friese then belted a run-scoring, three-base hit to right field that caromed off the wall, plating the go-ahead marker.
 
Closer Brandon Langley then struck out two in tossing a perfect ninth to secure the road victory, just WCU's fifth away from Cullowhee this season – and fourth in true road fashion – on a wild Wednesday.
 
Asheville's late-game rally overshadowed a superb start on the mound by hometown product Carter Burnette, who finished with a career-long 5.0 innings of work. With friends and family looking on, the freshman from Asheville struck out two without issuing any free passes, limiting the Bulldogs to a run on just three base hits. Burnette was in line for the victory in his third career start until Gillen's game-tying homer in the eighth.
 
Junior Ryan White (1-1) was the good-luck recipient of WCU's late-game response as he was the pitcher of record despite tossing just a third of an inning with a strikeout and two unearned runs allowed. Langley, the seventh Catamount to toe the rubber in the winning effort, earned his seventh save of the season, striking out two of the three batters he faced looking in the ninth.
 
Among the relief efforts, WCU's Cannon Pickell and Griffin Guinther both struck out two in an inning and two-thirds of an inning of relief, respectively. Brent Walls fanned one in two-thirds of an inning of hitless, scoreless relief. Combined, the Catamounts only issued four total walks – but plunked five hitters to aid Asheville's offensive night.
 
Friese (2-for-4) collected a team-best three RBI with a sacrifice fly, accompanying two run-scoring base hits, including his first career triple. Jack Spyke (2-for-5) legged out his team-best 14th double of the year in a two-hit effort, reaching base a third time with an RBI walk. Elijah Smith (1-for-3) and Mason Holton (2-for-6) both belted two-run home runs in the third and fifth innings, respectively.
 
Wyatt Stanley walked twice while Trey Spees drew a run-scoring walk to accompany a single as both scored twice. Jackson Lyda collected not only his first collegiate base hit but a two bagger for his first career extra-base knock with a pinch-hit RBI double in the seventh.
 
Bulldog reliever Cal Barna (0-1) – the eighth different arm used by the home squad – was saddled with the loss after matching for a team-high 1.1 innings of work with a pair of strikeouts, though the one run allowed ultimately was the game-winner. Seven of UNCA's eight pitchers tossed at least an inning, with Sam Thompson yanked after walking three over two-thirds of a frame. All told, the Bulldog pitchers surrendered 14 runs on 12 hits with 11 walks and one hit batter.
 
Logan Lowe (3-for-4) led the Bulldogs with a pair of singles and a double in a four-RBI effort, tallying three of Asheville's eight base hits. Rylen Stockton and Patrick Gillen both delivered three-run home runs for their lone hits of the day for the Bulldogs.
 
Winners of three straight, Western Carolina (20-20, 4-8 SoCon) remains on the road as it returns to Southern Conference play this weekend, traveling to Birmingham, Ala., for a three-game series against the Samford Bulldogs (22-18, 8-4 SoCon). Friday's series-opener is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT at Joe Lee Griffin Field and continues Saturday with a 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT start. The series concludes Sunday with a 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT first pitch.
 
Each game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats linked online at CatamountSports.com.
 
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