Lexington, Va. – Mason Holton homered twice as Western Carolina belted six home runs, powering the Catamounts past VMI on Saturday afternoon, 18-5, in seven innings to even the best-of-three Southern Conference on Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium. WCU scored runs in six of the seven innings in the run-ruled victory, while Mason Snyder limited the Keydets to two runs after the second inning in the victory.
 
The series rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, live on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats linked online at CatamountSports.com.
 
Seven Catamounts collected two hits in the winning effort, with seven of WCU's 16 hits going for extra bases. Holton hammered a three-run home run in WCU's four-run fourth inning, and provided all the production in the two-run fourth with his second round-tripper in a 2-for-5, five RBI performance.
 
Cole Jones (2-for-4) drove home four, coming on a two-run home run in the third inning before capping scoring with a two-run single in the seventh inning. Jaylen Jones (2-for-4) plated three runs with a pair of run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly, while Trent Turner (2-for-4) and Jackson Lyda (2-for-4) both hit solo home runs for one of their two hits.
 
Making his fifth start of the season, redshirt sophomore Yates Sikes (2-for-4) collected his first hits of the year, including his first collegiate home run on a two-run blast that gave the Catamounts the lead for good in the top of the second inning. Noah Quarless (2-for-2) reached base four times in Saturday's win, matching a career-high with three walks drawn and collecting his second triple of the season.
 
WCU's bullpen continued its strong start to conference play as reliever Mason Snyder (5-0) limited the Keydets to just two runs, while scattering four hits over 5.1 innings. The Ocilla, Ga., product struck out three against three walks and stranding five VMI baserunners with a pair of 1-2-3 frames in the fourth and fifth innings. Starter Davis Wright tossed the first inning and two-thirds with a strikeout against two walks before exiting in the second inning.
 
Catcher Cole Raile collected three of VMI's seven base hits, finishing 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI. Owen Prince (1-for-3) reached twice with a walk and a double, stealing one of two bases for the nation's leader. Cole Cook (1-for-3) added a stolen base among the statistical leaders for the Keydets.
 
VMI starter Eli Tyndall (2-2) took the loss, chased in the third inning after surrendering six runs – five earned – on nine hits. Four relievers combined to toss the final five frames, with Roberto Velasquez striking out two in a team-long three innings, while Peyton Dhein and Jim Douthat both struck out one.
 
Western Carolina (25-15, 7-4 SoCon) grabbed its first lead of the series on a run-scoring single by Jaylen Jones that brought Walker Fox home in the opening frame. However, the Keydets responded with a two-spot in the home half of the frame on an RBI groundout by Raile and a run-scoring single by Seth Buchanan for the 2-1 lead after one.
 
Trey Spees started a three-run rally in the second inning with a one-out single ahead of Sikes, who belted a 0-2 pitch over the wall in right for his first career homer and a 3-2 Catamount lead. Lyda followed the Sikes' round-tripper with a solo blast and a 4-2 advantage.
 
The Keydets got a run back in the bottom of the second on a double by Prince, before Snyder was summoned from the bullpen to get the Catamounts out of the frame with the lead intact.
 
WCU broke the game open in the third and fourth innings with seven unanswered runs for what proved to be an insurmountable 11-3 lead. Quarless opened the frame with a triple to right before scoring on the sacrifice fly by Jaylen Jones. With one aboard, Cole Jones smacked a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left center for the 7-3 lead after three. In the fourth, Turner hit a solo home run to continue his strong weekend in Lexington before his classmate Mason Holton hit his first of two home runs on a three-run blast for the 11-3 lead.
 
The two teams traded runs in the sixth with Holton hitting his second homer on a two-run shot, before the Keydets got a solo shot by Raile before Cole Cook stole home to make it 13-5 headed to the seventh.
 
In what proved to be the final frame, the Catamounts lit the scoreboard for five runs on three hits, with three walks and an HBP spurring the rally. Fox was plunked with the bases loaded before Quarless drew his third walk to drive in the second run of the inning. Jaylen Jones delivered a run-scoring single before Cole Jones capped scoring with a two-run single to right-center for the 18-5 lead.
 
Snyder and the Catamounts worked around a pair of one-out base runners in the bottom of the seventh with a double-play ending the game early.
 
Game three is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.