Cullowhee, N.C. – Morehead State made a five-run first inning stand up on Thursday night, limiting Western Carolina's offensive opportunities as the Eagles claimed the series opener 8-5 at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
WCU was held to a trio of one-run innings through the middle innings before a two-out ninth-inning push provided the final tally. The Catamounts left 11 runners on base in the loss, stranding at least one in eight of the nine innings.
 
The four-game nonconference series between the Eagles and Catamounts continues Friday with a 5 p.m. start. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats linked online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Thursday's loss overshadowed a tremendous rebound for starting pitcher James Fordham (1-1), who was saddled with the loss. After giving up five runs in the first inning, Fordham settled and did not allow another MSU base hit until a lead-off double in the seventh inning. The transfer from Chester, Ga., retired 16 of the next 18 batters he faced following the first-inning homer, tossing his WCU-long 6.2 innings with a career-best 10 strikeouts.
 
Noah Quarless doubled twice in a 2-for-4 showing, WCU's lone multi-hit effort in just its second home defeat of the season. Quarless also reached on a scary first-inning HBP, scoring two of the team's five runs. The remainder of the team's hits were spread among seven different players.
 
Jackson Lyda (1-for-4) hit his first collegiate home run to put the Catamounts on the board in the third inning, reaching a second time on an HBP. Wyatt Stanley (1-for-3) and Walker Fox (1-for-3) both reached base three times with singles, Stanley walking and drawing an HBP, and Fox was plunked twice. Jaylen Jones (1-for-4) delivered a two-run, ninth-inning single.
 
Marshall McGowan (1-for-2) reached twice with a single and a walk, with Trent Turner dropping a pinch-hit single into center in the eighth inning. Brody Raleigh plated a run on a deep sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, adding a walk.
 
Eagle designated hitter Aubrey Kearns doubled twice in a three-hit, three RBI effort to pace Morehead State, with Jaden Correa (1-for-4) capping the five-run opening inning with a three-run home run for the 5-0 lead.
 
WCU managed solo markers in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to claw back to within two at 5-3, but missed opportunities for bigger innings each time. Following a lead-off homer by Lyda in the third, WCU put two aboard with one out and had runners at the corners with two away, but stranded both. In the fourth, consecutive walks by Raleigh and McGowan put two aboard, but an infield double-play thwarted the big inning, limiting the rally to just one run.
 
The Catamounts played for a bigger inning in the fifth as Quarless doubled and Fox was plunked as the first two hitters reached. Jaylen Jones put down the perfect sacrifice bunt to move two into scoring position ahead of Raleigh, who just missed a three-run homer and settled for the sacrifice fly to get a run home – but it was the only marker to score.
 
Morehead State (10-8) tacked on an insurance marker in the seventh and pushed it further out of reach with a two-spot in the top of the ninth inning. Consecutive strikeouts put the Catamounts down to their final out before Quarless doubled for a second time, and Fox was again plunked. Jaylen Jones then singled through the right side to score a pair, though a third strikeout ended the game.
 
Behind Fordham, John Lobs struck out two over 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, with Shane Huntsberger touched for two runs in a third of an inning and Davis Budd closing the ninth with a strikeout.
 
First out of the bullpen, Cole Wells (2-1) earned the victory for Morehead State, limiting WCU to a run on two hits in 3.1 innings with a strikeout. Starter Landon Waugh allowed two runs on four hits, maneuvering around three walks and two HBPs in 3.2 innings. Devin Costa and Luke Hayes both tossed an inning, combining for four Ks, including three by the latter, with Hayes surrendering his first two runs of the season.
 
The series continues Friday at 5 p.m., with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday in Cullowhee.
 
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