Cullowhee, N.C. – Six Catamounts collected multi-hit games as Western Carolina rode a quintet of two-run innings to upend The Citadel 11-4 in Friday evening's Southern Conference series opener at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts pounded out 14 base hits, including three for extra bases, with home runs by Brayden Corn and Trey Spees to take the series lead and extend their current series win streak to five straight.
 
Game two of three is scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. The pivotal middle game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats linked online at CatamountSports.com.
 
* Please note that Western Carolina University's graduation ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday with two commencements – one at 10 a.m., and a second at 3 p.m. Traffic around the Ramsey Center and the North Baseball parking deck will be extremely heavy throughout the day.
 
Wyatt Stanley (3-for-5) doubled home two as part of his three-hit effort that included a pair of run-scoring singles as he matched his collegiate career highs for hits (3) and RBI (4). Brayden Corn (2-for-4) reached base three times with a walk, accompanying a single and a two-run home run, while Trey Spees also thrice reached base, adding an HBP to go along with a solo homer and a single.
 
Hayden Friese (2-for-3) reached base a team-best four times with a pair of singles and two walks, with Trent Turner (2-for-5) and Mason Holton (2-for-5) both singling twice and driving in a run. Jack Spyke (1-for-4) reached base twice with a single and a walk in the winning effort.
 
The Citadel's seven base hits were spread between seven different players, with three – Phillips Daniels (1-for-3), TJ Anderson (1-for-4), and Travis Elliott (1-for-3) each doubling. Daniels and Elliott both reached base twice with two of the three walks issued by WCU pitching. Anthony Hausner (1-for-4) hit his first homer of the year on a three-run shot in the top of the eighth inning that cut the deficit to five at the time, 9-4. Western Carolina (25-24, 7-9 SoCon) scored in four of the first six innings on Friday to take a 7-0 lead two-thirds of the way through the series opener. Four singles in the first inning, including run-scoring knocks by Turner and Holton, gave the home squad a 2-0 lead after one inning. Stanley collected his first of four RBI two innings later to bring Turner home for the 3-0 edge through three complete.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Corn uncorked a 436-foot two-run home run to left field to give the Catamounts a 5-0 lead, which WCU carried into the sixth inning. Spees then hit a one-out solo homer to right before Corn walked and later scored on an RBI single up the middle by Friese for the 7-0 advantage.
 
While WCU's offense was clicking, The Citadel was retired in order three times, including a double-play to erase its first base hit in the second inning. The best early chance for the Bulldogs came in the third inning as a lead-off walk and a two-out single put two aboard before a fly ball out squelched the rally.
 
In the fourth and sixth innings, the Bulldogs advanced a runner to third base after doubles by Travis Elliott and TJ Anderson, but WCU managed to strand the runner at third to maintain the shutout.
The Citadel got on the board in the top of the seventh inning as Lane Tobin drew a one-out walk and scored on an RBI single by Matthew Lively to make it 7-1. The rally was short-lived, though, as the Catamounts responded after the stretch with a pair of runs to stretch their lead to eight. Three consecutive singles by Spyke, Holton, and a run-scoring hit by Stanley got the initial run back. Elijah Smith broke up a would-be double play to reach on a fielder's choice, allowing Holton to score from third base for the 9-1 lead.
 
Hausner's three-run homer scored Daniels and Elliott to trim the deficit to five at 9-4. But the Catamounts answered in the bottom of the eighth inning with walks to Friese and Spyke, aided by a wild pitch to put both in scoring position, who were plated on Stanley's two-run double to right in providing the final tally, 11-4.
 
WCU's balanced offensive attack complemented a solid season-long tying 7.0 inning pitching effort by Dusty Revis (5-5), who returned to his Friday night starting role. It marked his fifth seven-inning outing over the past two seasons in Cullowhee. The Marion, N.C., product limited the Bulldogs to just one run while scattering five base hits, and countered a pair of walks with eight strikeouts.
 
Davis Budd tossed a third of an inning, with Josh Ossiander helping the Catamounts get out of the three-run eighth. Evan Langston tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to secure WCU's victory, inducing a pair of ground ball outs and a low line drive caught by Turner.
 
The Citadel used a pair of pitchers in the losing effort, with starter George Derrick Floyd (4-3) suffering the defeat. The left-hander surrendered seven earned runs on 10 hits, striking out six against two walks. Ben Brash tossed 2.2 innings in relief, allowing the Catamounts to score four runs on four hits with two walks.
 
The two teams combined to strand 13 runners in Friday's opener – eight by WCU and five for The Citadel.
 
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