Athens, Ga. – Mason Holton belted a go-ahead grand slam home run in the top of the ninth inning as one of two four-hit efforts for the Catamounts, capping Western Carolina's wild 10-9 upset win over No. 11 Georgia Wednesday evening in nonconference baseball action at Foley Field.
 
A combined 12 of the game's 19 runs were scored in the final two innings, with the squads trading grand slam homers. Adding to the drama of the finish was a would-be game-tying run for Georgia that temporarily hung on the Foley Field scoreboard. But a video review confirmed a swiping tag applied by Trey Spees at first base that lit the fuse for the Catamount dugout's celebratory explosion with the win.
 
Western Carolina's upset win over No. 11 Georgia halted a 21-game slide against nationally ranked opposition, giving the Purple & Gold their first upset victory over a ranked opponent since downing No. 20 NC State in Raleigh back in 2017. It also marked the first win over a ranked SEC foe for the Catamounts since 2014, when WCU opened the year with an upset at No. 2 Mississippi State.
 
The Catamounts snapped a two-game slide against Georgia in the head-to-head series in the first official meeting since 2016. WCU does have wins in three of the last five series meetings dating back to 2012.
 
Wyatt Stanley tripled home Walker Fox with a game-tying run in the top of the eighth to ignite a three-run rally that included run-scoring singles by Holton and Jaylen Jones as the Catamounts rallied for a 6-4 lead headed to the home half. However, Daniel Jackson delighted the split crowd with a grand slam homer to right-center field that flipped the tally, 8-6, in favor of the 'Dogs.
 
Western Carolina then mounted a two-out rally, down to its final strike on its final out four times in the inning. Noah Quarless blooped a 0-2 pitch into centerfield to extend the game, before Fox ripped a double to right on a 1-2 offering to put two into scoring position. Stanley then coaxed a full count walk to load the bases as the game was dripping with drama in the top of the ninth.
 
Holton then delivered on a 1-2 pitch with a long fly ball to left field that cleared the fence into the trees, propelling the Catamounts back in front, 10-8.
 
Georgia (11-3) counterpunched in the home half of the ninth as Jordy Oriach doubled to left to bring the game-tying run to the plate. Bryce Calloway then drew a full-count walk to put the tying run at first base. Catamount reliever Bryant Kimbrell (1-0) induced a pair of fly ball outs to pull the Purple & Gold an out away from the upset victory.
 
The Bulldogs' Ryan Black then made it a one-run game again with an RBI single into center to score Oriach, leaving runners standing at second and third base once the dust settled with Tre Phelps strolling to the box. Riding a 27-game hitting streak – one shy of matching a Georgia school record, but hitless to that point – Phelps sharply grounded a 1-2 pitch to short. He seemed to stumble out of the box as the ball bounced to Trent Turner, who collected and rushed the throw to first. The crucial toss forced Spees off the bag, where he had to attempt a sweeping tag as Phelps, who lumbered up the line.
 
The initial call on the field was safe, allowing the game-tying run to cross the plate on the apparent errant throw. However, upon further review, video evidence showed that as Phelps lunged for the safety bag, his back foot kicked up and Spees clipped with his glove before reaching safely, resulting in the ground out to short and the final out.
 
Holton and Fox both collected a game-high four hits apiece in the victory, accounting for eight of WCU's 12 hits on the day. Holton (4-for-5) drove in a career-high seven runs, including two on a second-inning single, the third on his eighth-inning single, and four on the grand slam. Fox doubled twice in a 4-for-5 effort with three runs scored.
 
WCU's remaining four hits were spread among four players, with Stanley (1-for-3) reaching three times with a pair of walks and an RBI triple. Cole Jones (1-for-5) gave the Catamounts a fourth-inning lead with a solo home run. Jaylen Jones and Noah Quarless also added singles.
 
Jackson (3-for-4) finished a double shy of the cycle for the Bulldogs, collecting Georgia's first triple of the season in addition to his grand slam home run for four RBI. Cole Johnson (3-for-4) doubled in a three-hit effort, with the homer-happy 'Dogs getting big flies from Oriach (2-for-5) and Brennan Hudson (1-for-2).
 
Phelps finished 0-for-3 at the plate despite reaching three times on a pair of HBPs and a walk.
 
Kimbrell (1-0), the seventh Catamount hurler to toe the rubber in the middle of Foley Field, was credited with the victory after tossing the final 1.2 innings, with a run on two hits allowed. Relievers Owen Austin and Scott Templeton struck out two apiece as part of WCU's seven K's as a staff. Mason Snyder continued his strong relief work, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout and one hit allowed.
 
James Fordham went 3.0 innings in the start, allowing two runs on two hits, working around a pair of HBPs and two walks.
 
Georgia reliever Thomas Ellisen (0-1) was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs on three hits with a walk over an inning of work. Relievers Justin Byrd and Caleb Jameson both struck out four over 3.1 and 2.1 innings, respectively, and Grant Edwards struck out two in his two-thirds of a frame. Starter Jordan Stephens gave up two runs on two hits with a strikeout in 1.2 innings.
 
The Bulldogs led 2-0 after one, plating a pair of runs on two sacrifice flies before Holton tied the game with a two-run second-inning single. Cole Jones pushed WCU in front for the first time with a solo homer in the fourth for a short-lived 3-2 lead, as Georgia hit back-to-back homers to reclaim the 4-3 lead through the first half of the game.
 
Neither team was able to light the scoreboard between the fifth and seventh until Walker Fox bounced a ground-rule double over the wall and was scored on Stanley's triple to open the frantic finish.
 
Western Carolina (9-3) continues its road swing with four games this weekend in Charlotte, facing both Radford (6-4) and the host 49ers (8-4) for two games apiece at Hayes Stadium. WCU faces the Highlanders at Noon on both Friday and Saturday before meeting Charlotte in the backend of a Saturday doubleheader at 4 p.m. and in the finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
At present, only the Saturday afternoon meeting with Charlotte will be covered on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). Depending upon results from the 2026 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship, additional games could be added to the Catamount Sports Network (CSN) audio schedule through the weekend. Live stats for each game will be available online through links at CatamountSports.com.
 
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