Lexington, Va. –
Trent Turner hit for the cycle and both
Noah Quarless and
Cam Murray homered in a six-run eighth inning as Western Carolina baseball rallied late in Friday evening's opener at VMI. However, an early seven-run deficit and three insurance runs pushed across by the Keydets in the seventh inning provided just enough separation as VMI upended the Catamounts 10-8 in the Southern Conference series opener at Gray-Minor Stadium.
The loss halted WCU's four-game seasonal win streak, while representing the 20th home victory for the Keydets this season.
Turner's first career cycle is WCU's second in the past two seasons as
Jack Spyke accomplished the feat at UNCG a year ago. The Catamounts have had five cycles since 2014, with Turner joining Spyke, Bryson Bowman (vs. Savannah State, 2017), and the infield duo of Aaron Attaway and Bradley Strong, who hit for the cycle in the same game against La Salle (2014).
Turner collected half of WCU's eight base hits in the loss, finishing 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI. The Waynesville, N.C. product doubled in the first inning, led-off with a single in the sixth, and tripled in the top of the eighth inning. With two out in the ninth, Turner belted a solo home run to left to complete the cycle.
Quarless (1-for-3) reached base twice, drawing WCU's lone walk of the game and hit a first-pitch, two-run homer to right in the eighth inning. Three batters later, Virigina native
Cam Murray delivered a pinch-hit, three-run home run to left that clawed the Catamounts back to within three, 10-7.
Three Keydets posted multi-hit games with Owen Prince finishing 3-for-5 with a trio of singles and an RBI. Grayson Fitzwater (2-for-5) hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give VMI a lead it never relinquished, with Cole Raile doubling twice in a 2-for-4 effort. Cole Cook (1-for-3) hit a three-run home run in the third inning, finishing with a game-high four RBI for the home squad.
VMI (26-11, 3-7 SoCon) used the Fitzwater homer in the first inning and the Cook three-run round-tripper in the third, both sandwiched around a two-run second inning thanks to an Owen Prince single, to take a 7-0 lead a third of the way into Friday's opener.
Jaylen Jones reached on a lead-off single to start the fifth and eventually scored from third on a hard-hit ball by
Caden Haywood to shortstop. VMI's JW Kohlmeyer had to make a diving play up the middle to stop the Haywood offering, popping tall but his throw to first was errant with the scored error allowing the run to cross for a 7-1 score.
Western Carolina (24-15, 6-4 SoCon) nearly didn't have a chance for any late-inning heroics in the opener as VMI threatened to end the game in the seventh. Following a pair of run-scoring doubles and a bases-loaded walk made it 9-1, Haywood cut down the would-be game-winning run at home plate to keep the game alive with his outfield assist. Then, Quarless retired Cole Cook between third and home on a missed bunt attempt at the plate that helped limit the Keydet rally to three, stranding the winning run at second and kept WCU alive for the eighth inning.
Jackson Lyda reached on a one-out HBP and scampered around the bases to score as Turner belted a shot deep to the gap in right-center field for an RBI triple. Two batters later, Quarless ambushed the first pitch of his at-bat for a two-run homer to right field to make it 10-4.
Mason Holton singles and
Jaylen Jones reached on a fielding error ahead of pinch-hitter,
Cam Murray. The Fredericksburg, Va., native then delivered a three-run blast to left for his first homer of the season and a 10-7 game.
In the ninth, Turner completed his four-hit performance with a two-out solo home run that provided the final tally.
Catamount starter Carter Burnette (2-5) shouldered the loss, lifted after 2.1 innings with seven runs allowed on six hits, countering a pair of walks with two strikeouts. Shane Huntsberger got WCU out of the third before Davis Budd tossed three solid relief innings, striking out three while giving up three runs. Left-handers Ryan White and Owen Austin combined for the eighth, White working around a walk and a single by catching a would-be base stealer in his two-thirds of a frame. Austin needed just one pitch off the Gra-Minor Stadium mound to record his lone out.
VMI starter Justin Speigel (1-2) fought through 6.1 innings, limiting the Catamounts to one unearned run on just three hits with six strikeouts against a walk. Hunter Sipe was saddled with six runs – three earned – on four hits over 1.1 innings with three strikeouts before giving way to Tyler Bassett for two-thirds of an inning of hitless, scoreless relief.
Penciled in as Saturday's starter, Buddy Baker tossed the final two-thirds of an inning, surrendering the homer to Turner with a strikeout to his tally.
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch, live on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
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