Charleston, S.C. – Western Carolina baseball found seven runs in the middle third of Saturday's game two at The Citadel, including a three-run, fifth-inning home run by Walker Fox, followed by a four-run sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead in looking to even the best-of-three Southern Conference series.
 
However, the Catamounts were unable to find the shutdown innings afterwards, surrendering seven runs between the sixth and seventh innings, including a five-spot in the home half of the sixth, and the Bulldogs held off WCU to claim the series with a 13-9 victory at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.
 
Both teams recorded double-digit hits in the slugfest, 15 by The Citadel and 15 by Western Carolina. But the Catamounts left 15 runners on base, including two-or-more stranded in five innings with the bases left loaded three times.
 
The series concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch as the Catamounts look to prevent the road SoCon series sweep and halt a three-game seasonal slide. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Fox reached base five times in Saturday's loss, as he finished 2-for-3 with four RBI, belting his team-high tying sixth home run, drew a pair of walks, and was plunked once. Trent Turner (3-for-5) collected a WCU-best three hits with a double, reaching a fourth time on an HBP.
 
Trey Spees (2-for-4) and Noah Quarless (2-for-5) both reached base three times with two hits apiece, including a double and a walk, to round out WCU's multi-hit efforts. Mason Holton reached three times, drawing two walks in a 1-for-4 showing, with Cole Jones delivering a pinch-hit RBI double in his lone plate appearance.
 
Phillips Daniels collected a game-high four hits with a double, three runs scored, and two RBI, while TJ Anderson continued his strong series with a 2-for-5, four RBI performance to pace the Bulldogs. Matthew Lively (2-for-5) matched Daniels with a trio of runs scored, legging out a double, with mid-game substitution Sam Dansky going 2-for-2, adding an HBP. Jayden Williams also had a two-hit performance, finishing 2-for-4 with a walk in the win.
 
Anderson delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning as the Bulldogs picked up where they left off in Friday's series-opener, taking a 2-0 lead they enjoyed until the fourth inning. With the bases loaded and two out, Daniels singled up the middle to extend the lead by one, before Anderson delivered again with another two-run base knock to plate three and pushed the margin to 5-0 through four.
 
WCU counter-punched in the top of the fifth inning as Turner laced a one-out double to left center ahead of Holton, who put two aboard with a walk. Two batters later, Fox smashed a three-run homer to right-center field videoboard to trim the deficit to a pair, 5-3.
 
The Bulldogs (12-13, 3-2 SoCon) got one of the markers back in the bottom of the frame, though, as a one-out double by Lively and a failed pickoff attempt at second base put him at third. Aryan Patel grounded out to the pitcher, driving the run home to reclaim a three-run cushion, 6-3.
 
Singles by Marshall McGowan and a bunt that hugged the third-base line by Trey Spees put the first two runners aboard in the sixth before a sacrifice bunt by Lyda moved both into scoring position. Turner delivered a run-scoring single deep at third to get the run back, ahead of back-to-back bases-loaded walks by Quarless and Fox to knot the game at six.
 
WCU (17-11, 2-3 SoCon) claimed its first lead of the game on a wild pitch by reliever Zane Davis, capping the four-run frame as the Catamounts carried a 7-6 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
 
The lead was short-lived, though, as beginning with a double, the first three hitters reached base in the home portion of the inning with a run scoring to tie the game at seven. The Bulldogs then tacked on four more runs to break it back open at 11-7, before lighting the scoreboard for two more in the seventh on a two-run double for the six-run, 13-7 lead.
 
Looking to mount a late charge, the Catamounts got two runs back in the eighth inning as Quarless led off with a double and scored on a fielder's choice. Pinch-hitter Cole Jones then laced a two-out double deep to center field to close back within four, 13-9. But, for the third time in the loss, WCU left the bases loaded in the eighth and then stranded a lead-off HBP at second in the final frame for a third-straight seasonal loss.
 
Catamount starter Davis Wright struck out six over 3.2 innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits with a pair of walks and two hit batters. Davis Budd (1-1) was stuck with the loss, allowing five runs – four of which were earned – on four hits with a strikeout over 1.2 relief innings, the first of four arms out of the WCU bullpen with Jacob Arnberger striking out one in 1.1 innings.
 
Riley Ballard (3-1) earned the win in relief, surrendering two runs on three hits with a walk and two hit batters over 1.2 innings. Starter Michael Gibson struck out two over four scoreless innings, working around six hits, a pair of walks, and a hit batter.
 
Western Carolina and The Citadel play game three on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.