Cullowhee, N.C. – Dusty Revis struck out a career-high nine as Western Carolina limited Gardner-Webb to a solo run in the opening frame and scattered five hits in earning the series victory with a walk-off 12-1 win in eight innings on Saturday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Leading by seven entering the home half of the eighth inning, the Catamounts plated four runs, including the final two on a two-run double to the fence in left field by Trent Turner, to end what proved to be the series finale in eight innings. With the win, WCU moved above the .500 threshold at 16-15.
 
Sunday's scheduled third game in Boiling Springs, N.C., has been canceled by Gardner-Webb due to unfavorable weather forecasts and the threat of inclement weather. The game will not be rescheduled, though the two are scheduled to meet for a fourth time on April 23 in Cullowhee.
 
Four Catamounts posted multi-hit games on Saturday afternoon as WCU outhit Gardner-Webb, 14-to-5. Brayden Corn (3-for-4) reached base four times with a double, two singles, and a walk, driving home a pair with three runs scored in the winning effort. Hayden Friese (3-for-5) likewise singled twice with a double and two runs scored to help lead the Catamount attack.
 
Cole Jones (2-for-4) doubled twice with an RBI, while Mason Holton (2-for-5) singled twice and drove home two. Eight of the nine Catamounts in the lineup collected base hits on Saturday, and all nine reached base safely.
 
Even with the offensive outburst, the storyline of Saturday's win was the second quality start of the weekend for a Catamount pitcher as Dusty Revis (2-3) nearly silenced Gardner-Webb's bats. The Marion, N.C., product struck out a career-high nine against four walks in collecting his second victory of the season. Between the third and sixth innings, Revis retired 10 straight before a two-out single snapped the string.
 
Catamount freshman Carter Burnette tossed 1.2 relief innings of two-hit, scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts to give WCU 11 in the win.
 
Gardner-Webb's five hits were spread between three players, with Matt Ilgenfritz (2-for-3) and Merik Carter (2-for-4) both doubling in two-hit efforts, with Ilgenfritz driving in the squad's lone run on a first-inning sacrifice fly. Red-hot Ryan Kennell (1-for-4) was limited to a game-opening single after the shortstop had a pair of three-hit efforts in the first two meetings against the Catamounts.
 
After starting pitcher Nick Vieira exited after two innings in a planned short start, reliever Jace Presley (2-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering two runs – both of which scored after he exited the mound. Presley served up a lead-off walk to start the fifth inning before being chased after a one-out base hit by Cole Jones put two aboard, both of which scored.
   
Gardner-Webb (14-18) saw its first three hitters reach in the top of the first inning, with Kennell singling before Carter doubled down the left-field line to put two aboard. Ilgenfritz then delivered a run-scoring sacrifice fly to left that plated the game's first run. Revis settled to post his second strikeout of the frame to limit the Runnin' Bulldogs to just the solo marker.
 
The Catamounts responded in the home half as Corn singled to left, stole second base, and raced around to score on the two-out RBI double by Spyke to knot the game.
 
Tied at one, the pitchers and defense took over as neither side was able to muster much offense between the second and fourth innings. The Runnin' Bulldogs managed a pair of runners on two walks but never progressed past first base. Meanwhile, GWU retired 10-straight Catamounts over a trio of 1-2-3 frames.
 
Wyatt Stanley broke the void in the bottom of the fifth inning with a lead-off walk before Jones doubled to put two into scoring position. Trey Spees broke the tie with a sacrifice fly to center field before Corn doubled home Jones for the 3-1 advantage. Holton capped the scoring with an RBI single to left as WCU led 4-1 through five complete.
 
A two-out error allowed the Catamounts to score a pair in the sixth on an RBI double by Cole Jones and a run-scoring single by Corn. Two runs also scored just after the stretch in the seventh, with Stanley collecting an RBI on a double for the 8-1 lead.
 
WCU scored four in the eighth to complete the run-ruled victory as walks to Spees and Corn were followed by Holton and Friese singles. In the eighth, Turner ended the game with a smack to the left-field fence to cap the four-run inning.
 
With the cancellation of Sunday's finale, Western Carolina returns to action on Tuesday (April 8) with the backend of the nonconference home-and-home with Appalachian State. The second seasonal meeting between the two is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch and will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). The Catamounts took the first game 14-10 last Tuesday in Cullowhee.
 
Following its fourth consecutive game out of league play, WCU returns to Southern Conference play next weekend with a three-game series in Johnson City, Tenn., against East Tennessee State April 11-13.
 
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