Cullowhee, N.C. – Consecutive three-run innings broke the 1-1 standoff midway through Sunday's series finale and staked Western Carolina to a 7-3 lead through six innings. However, The Citadel rebounded to score the game's final six runs, including a decisive five-run eighth inning, as the Bulldogs salvaged game three on Sunday afternoon and spoiled WCU's Senior Day with the 9-7 decision.
 
The loss prevented the Catamounts from earning their first series sweep of the season and kept the squad from winning their 20th game at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium this season. Even with the loss, though, WCU finished with 19 home victories, the most for the program since winning 23 in Cullowhee back in 2014. The 19 wins are a five-game improvement over last season's home record.
 
Trent Turner (2-for-4) singled home Brayden Corn before he and Hayden Friese came home on a two-run single by Mason Holton as the Catamounts took the lead in the home half of the fifth inning, 4-1. The Citadel responded, though, with a two-spot in the top of the sixth with a two-run sacrifice bunt by Phillips Daniels with Garrett Dill scoring from third and Lane Tobin racing around to score from second base, sliding around the tag attempt at home.
 
With the lead back to just one, 4-3, the Catamounts found a second three-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. Elijah Smith doubled and was scored on a RBI single by Trey Spees, with Cole Jones drawing a walk and eventually scoring on a wild pitch. Friese capped the scoring with a single through the right side to plate Spees for the 7-3 advantage two-thirds of the way through.
 
In the seventh, the first two Bulldogs reached on a single and an RBI double by Anthony Hausner to inch back within two, 7-5. The Citadel then pulled away with a decisive five-run eighth inning. The first five Bulldogs reached with three singles, a double, and a hit batter before the first out was recorded on a sacrifice bunt.
 
TJ Anderson cleared the bases with a hot-shot double down the right-field line that tied the game at seven. Travis Elliott then plated the eventual game-winning run on a single through the right side with a run-scoring bunt single by Garrett Dill bringing home the insurance marker.
 
Stanley led off the home half of the ninth with a double to right-center field, but three straight outs on a flyball and a pair of pop-ups ended the game.
 
Four of WCU's 11 runners left on base came during the final three innings.
 
Friese (3-for-5) lined a first-inning homer to right as part of a three-hit, two-RBI effort, while Stanley (3-for-5) added his ninth-inning double to his pair of singles. Turner (2-for-4) legged out his 13th double of the year in the first inning and drove in his 50th run of the season in the three-run fifth. He added a walk to match Friese and Stanley by reaching base three times on the day.
 
Both Jones (1-for-4) and Elijah Smith (1-for-4) doubled and walked, while Brayden Corn (1-for-4) also reached twice with a single and an HBP.
 
The Bulldogs (27-23, 10-8 SoCon) had four players post multi-hit games, with Travis Elliott (4-for-6) recording four singles with an RBI and two runs scored. TJ Anderson (2-for-6) drove home a game-high three with a single and a double. Phillips Daniels (1-for-2) reached base four times, plunked twice with a walk and a single.
 
Catamount closer Brandon Langley (2-1) suffered the loss, tagged for six runs, five earned, on six hits with a pair of strikeouts. Carter Burnette helped pace WCU through the first five frames, finishing with 4.1 innings pitched with an unearned run allowed on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Ryan White worked around a pair of hits in an inning of scoreless relief, while Griffin Guinther stranded the bases loaded in his scoreless inning out of the bullpen.
 
Pressed into service after reliever Chandler Anderson was lifted due to an apparent injury, Yates Bland (3-5) silenced the Catamounts over the final four innings. He scattered three hits and countered a pair of walks with two strikeouts in four frames of scoreless relief. Andrew Stanley tossed five innings in the start, tagged for four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts against a walk.
 
Before Sunday's final home game, the Catamounts recognized six seniors appearing in their final home game for the Purple & Gold as Maret Drye, Paddy McGonigal, Evan Langston, Cannon Pickell, Jack Spyke, and Brent Walls were each honored. Five Catamounts took part in a special on-field graduation ceremony to receive their diplomas, as Adam Quincy, Jack Spyke, and Trent Turner each joined McGonigal and Spyke.
 
Western Carolina (26-25, 8-10 SoCon) travels to Greensboro for its final three-game regular-season conference series as the Catamounts tangle with in-state foe, UNCG (19-30, 8-10 SoCon). The final prelude to the 2025 SoCon Baseball Championship is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, with 6 p.m. start times in the first two games before a 2 p.m. finale. The two teams enter the week tied for fifth in the league standings, both with a chance to move into the top four in the standings and avoid the single-elimination portion of the SoCon Baseball Championship.
 
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