Cullowhee N.C. – Western Carolina softball closed out a stretch of nine games in seven days on Tuesday, sweeping both ends of a doubleheader over Big South counterpart Winthrop, winning 9-2 and 11-5 at the Catamount Softball Complex.
WCU improved to 7-2, marking the best nine-game start to a season since 2022, when the Purple & Gold also opened the year 7-2.
Senior Taylor Waitley led the team over the twinbill with five hits, including a 4-for-4 performance in game one that included her first home run of the season. Junior Maya McPherson added four hits, tallying a pair of doubles and her second big fly of the season.
Classmate Sydney Dirks continued her torrid start to 2026 with three more extra-base hits, now with four homers of the year. Sophomore AG Batson picked up three hits with a double in the two games, and senior Tate Stewman delivered a pinch-hit homer in game two.
In the circle for WCU, sophomores Amanda Fulton and Batson both spun complete games in the winning effort. Fulton matched her season-high with eight strikeouts as the pair only allowed a pair of earned runs.
Game One – Western Carolina 9, Winthrop 2
Western Carolina sent nine to the plate and scored six runs in the home half of the decisive sixth inning to create separation and bust open a one-run, 3-2, affair in Tuesday's opener, as the Catamounts pulled away for the 9-2 victory over Winthrop.
Waitley tallied a career-best four hits, including a two-run shot in the sixth inning, to help pace WCU in the opener. AG Batson and Maya McPherson both recorded a pair of hits, with McPherson adding a two-bagger to her game one performance. Tate Stewman and Rylee Butler rounded out WCU's offensive attack with a hit, as seven Catamounts had RBIs, led by Waitley's three.
Winthrop struck first in the opening frame with a one-out solo shot to left-center to allow the Eagles a 1-0 lead as Amanda Fulton battled back in the frame with a strikeout to limit the damage to just one.
WCU then got on the board in the home half of the second with a double from McPherson, followed by a single from Waitley before Courtney Marks reached on a fielder's choice that allowed McPherson to score and quickly tie the score. Butler pushed the hosts in front two batters later with an RBI single to centerfield that allowed Waitley to come home.
Two frames later, the Eagles used a leadoff double to their advantage with a one-out RBI single that tied the opener at two.
The Catamounts answered in the home fifth with a leadoff single and a steal from Batson, who advanced to third on an infield groundout. Waitley continued her strong game one with a two-out RBI single to push the hosts back in front by a run.
In the home half of the sixth inning, the Catamounts opened with a Stewman single and followed with a fielder's choice to put two on. After Winthrop tallied the first out, pinch-runner Ava Giglio scampered to third on an Eagles miscue. The next pitch saw Giglio score on a second miscue from the guests off the bat of Lily Bell.
Batson joined the fun with an infield RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly from Dirks, which pushed the lead to 6-2. WCU wasn't finished yet in the frame with a single from McPherson before Waitley capped off her opener with a two-run blast to centerfield to push the lead to 9-2.
Fulton worked around a leadoff single in the top of the seventh with a flyout and strikeout to help secure the doubleheader opening victory.
Fulton (3-0) continued her strong start to the 2026 season, scattering five hits and allowing a pair of runs to pick up her third win. She tallied a season-high, tying eight strikeouts to improve her team lead to 31 punchouts over 26 innings of work.
Emmy Cardenas (0-3) suffered the loss after going 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and three runs with a strikeout. Madelynn Miller pitched an inning of relief, giving up four hits and six unearned runs before Maddie Wiant recorded the final out for Winthrop's pitching staff.
Game Two – Western Carolina 11, Winthrop 5
Tied at three heading to the home half of the fourth inning, the Catamounts put together another big offensive inning with a five-run frame and added runs in each of the final two innings to grab an 11-5 decision, earning the second straight home doubleheader sweep of the young season.
Sydney Dirks led the 12-hit game two charge for WCU with three hits and four RBIs as she connected on her third and fourth homers of the season. Lily Bell and Maya McPherson both added two hits to the stat sheet, with McPherson connecting on a big fly of her own, along with Tate Stewman doing so in a pinch-hit role. McPherson and Batson joined Dirks with multiple runs knocked in, picking up two apiece.
Like game one, Winthrop (3-7) jumped out to the early lead in the second game as the Eagles capitalized on a pair of miscues from the Catamounts to jump out to a 2-0 lead.
Following a Bell leadoff single, two batters later, Dirks deposited her first homer of the game to left center and quickly evened the score at two.
Winthrop regained its lead in the third with a two-out RBI single before McPherson answered in the home portion with a solo blast that evened the score at three through three.
The Catamounts then put together another big inning in the fourth with singles from Rylee Butler and Bell before three-consecutive run-scoring doubles by Batson, Dirks, and McPherson. The inning was capped by an RBI single from Waitley, making it 8-3.
The Eagles answered in the fifth with a two-run blast to cut the deficit back to three, 8-5. However, Stewman, who entered the field in the top half of the inning, connected on a first-pitch solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to increase the lead to 9-5.
Dirks added her second home run of the contest in the sixth before an Eagles fielding error forced a second run home in the inning, leading the Catamounts to the doubleheader sweep as Batson finished off the complete game in the seventh with a 1-2–3 inning.
Batson (3-0) matched her classmate Fulton, as she went the distance, allowing seven hits and five runs with only two of those being earned. Batson also picked up four strikeouts to earn the win.
Lonna Addison (1-2) opened the contest for Winthrop, going 3.2 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs with a pair of strikeouts. Maddie Wiant returned in game two and tossed 0.2 innings, allowing three hits and a pair of runs. Ali Bunch finished the final 1.2 innings for the guests as she gave up two hits and two runs, with one of those being earned.
Western Carolina (7-2) opens a seven-game road swing beginning with a trip to Boiling Springs, N.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to square off against Gardner-Webb. The doubleheader action against the Runnin' Bulldogs is slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch. Both games will have live stats available through links on CatamountSports.com, while also being shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).
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