Charlotte, N.C. – Charlotte pitching stifled the Western Carolina baseball offense in Saturday afternoon's second game at Hayes Stadium, limiting the Catamounts to just two base hits in a 4-0 loss. WCU managed just four base runners in the strong showing for the 49er pitching staff, adding a walk and an HBP to the two base hits.
Saturday marked just the second time this season WCU has failed to light the scoreboard, with shutout defeats at USC Upstate and Charlotte. The shutout loss comes after the Catamounts blanked Radford 10-0 in seven innings in game one of the two-team doubleheader.
WCU (10-5) wraps up its four games in three days in Charlotte on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Hayes Stadium in the Queen City with a second game against the 49ers, who have won nine of their last 10 games. A friendly reminder that Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday.
Mason Holton (1-for-4) doubled in the sixth inning and
Cole Jones (1-for-3) singled for the lone base hits of the afternoon for the Catamounts.
Jackson Lyda drew a lead-off HBP to start the game and later moved to second on a first-inning walk to
Noah Quarless, representing the only other WCU player to advance to second base.
WCU's offense was retired in order over the final three frames as the 49er pitching staff sat down the last 10-straight. Charlotte also finished with a combined 10 strikeouts.
Three 49ers finished with multi-hit games, with Spencer Nolan going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, Charlotte's lone extra-base hits. Robert Nedry (2-for-5) and Todd Hudson (2-for-4) both collected a pair of singles apiece.
Charlotte broke the scoreless tie in the third inning, using a first-pitch double by Nolan and an infield error to score what proved to be the game-winning run. WCU used a double play to minimize the third-inning damage.
Nolan lit the flame two innings later with a run-scoring double as part of consecutive hits to start the inning, before Dawson Bryce singled through the left side to bring Nolan home for the 3-0 lead.
The 49ers capped scoring in the home half of the sixth with a two-out rally, again with Nolan in the middle of things. With two aboard after Nolan singled to right, Nedry plated a run on a single to left to push the cushion to four. Charlotte's pitching staff and defense took over from there to hold the Catamounts off the scoreboard.
Catamount starter
Carter Burnette (1-2) was saddled with the loss, striking out two over five innings of work. He allowed three runs on six hits with three walks.
Owen Austin struck out three in three relief innings, limiting the 49ers to one run while scattering six hits.
Charlotte starter Drew Munn (3-0) tossed eight shutout innings, striking out seven while limiting the Catamounts to four base runners with two hits, a walk, and issuing an HBP. AJ Camp tossed a perfect ninth, striking out the side.
Sunday's coverage depends on the results from the 2026 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship. Check CatamountSports.com for any broadcast plans, though live stats are available online through links at CatamountSports.com.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).
