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Western Carolina University

Western Carolina
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Schedule

Full
Team Huddle
Jessalyn Simpson, Athletics Creative Media
0
Western Carolina WCU 26-16
3
Winner Samford SAM 18-26
Western Carolina WCU
26-16
0
Final
3
Samford SAM
18-26
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Western Carolina WCU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Samford SAM 3 0 0 0 0 0 X 3 7 2

W: Makinley Turner (5-7) L: Batson, AG (8-4)

Game Recap: Softball | | Greg Hartlage, Director of Media Relations

Fast Start Leads Samford in SoCon Series Finale

Birmingham, Ala. – Samford made a three-run first inning stand up through seven innings to salvage Sunday's series finale against Western Carolina, handing the Catamounts a 3-0 setback at the Samford Softball Field.

Junior Maya McPherson's fourth-inning single was the lone base knock for WCU on Sunday against the Bulldogs. Senior Taylor Waitley reached base twice—once on a first-inning walk and again on a third-inning error. Junior Lily Bell (hit by a pitch), freshman Kayden Lyda (reached on an error), and senior Rylee Butler (walk) each reached safely but were unable to scratch across a run.

Samford (18-26, 8-4 SoCon) got the bats going early with a two-run homer to gain the early advantage. The hosts added a sacrifice fly in the inning that capped the three-run first. It proved to be all the offense the Bulldogs would need.

Western Carolina mounted its best threat in the third inning, as Bell reached on a two-out hit-by-pitch and Waitley advanced on a Samford miscue, but the hosts quickly erased the chance.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the third and fifth innings, looking to extend the lead. But a foul out in the third and a pair of strikeouts by Briony Bunsic and Amanda Fulton in the fifth kept the deficit at three.

Lyda opened the seventh inning on a fielding miscue from Samford, but Makinley Turner recorded three straight outs to earn the shutout victory.

AG Batson (8-4) opened the contest, tossing an inning three runs on three hits allowed as she was tagged with the loss. Bunsic pitched 3.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and four hits allowed. Fulton tossed the final 1.1 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

Turner (5-7) went the distance for the Bulldogs, going 7.0 innings and allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts.

Western Carolina (26-16, 8-4 SoCon) returns to nonconference play for the final time at home in the 2026 regular season on Tuesday, April 14, in a doubleheader against Gardner-Webb. The two teams open the twin bill on Betty Peele Field at the Catamount Softball Complex at 3 p.m. Coverage of Tuesday's action will have live stats available on CatamountSports.com.

Fans can follow WCU softball on Facebook, Twitter (@CatamountSB), Instagram, and CatamountSports.com.

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