Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball split Friday's Southern Conference doubleheader against mountain rival East Tennessee State, powering past the Buccaneers 14-10 in game one before dropping a one-run, 4-3 decision in the nightcap at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
WCU's series-opening victory snapped a six-game slide to ETSU, with the split keeping the two squads tied for third place in the SoCon behind Wofford, which lost in extra innings at Mercer, and second-place Samford, which is playing out of conference this weekend.
 
With the series decision hanging in the balance, the two teams pause on Saturday because of unfavorable weather forecasts before meeting in the series rubber match at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The finale will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com. Game One – Western Carolina 14, ETSU 10
Six Catamounts posted multi-hit games, and Western Carolina hammered five home runs in opening the three-game Southern Conference series with a 14-10 victory in game one on Friday afternoon.
 
One week removed from hitting for the cycle for the first time in a Catamount uniform, fifth-year senior Trent Turner finished a double shy of duplicating the feat in game one, finishing 3-for-4 with a run-scoring triple and a two-run home run. The Waynesville, N.C., provided all sorts of traffic on the base paths, adding a pair of walks to reach five times.
 
Mason Holton (3-for-4) and Trey Spees (3-for-5) both recorded a trio of singles, with Cam Murray earning the start at designated hitter and responding with a pair of hits, including his second home run in as many weekend series. Noah Quarless (2-for-4) and Walker Fox (2-for-5) both reached base three times, with Quarless driving home two with a run-scoring single and a home run. Fox lifted a run-scoring double down the first-base line in the seventh. Jackson Lyda (1-for-2) reached four times with a pair of runs scored.
 
Jaylen Jones added a three-run homer in the fourth inning that staked the Catamounts to a 7-1 lead through four complete before ETSU fought back to take a 10-9 lead in the sixth inning. WCU managed the game's final five runs, though tying it and pulling ahead in the seventh inning before tacking on a pair of insurance markers on back-to-back homers by Cole Jones and Murray in the eighth.
 
Outfielder Jamie Palmese (2-for-4) doubled and drove in three runs to lead the Buccaneers, while Ian Guanzon (2-for-4) reached twice on singles. Nate Conner (1-for-3) gave ETSU its second one-run lead with a three-run home run in the sixth inning, adding three walks.
 
Catamount reliever Mason Snyder (6-0) stayed perfect out of the bullpen, scattering two runs and five hits over five innings with three strikeouts. Carter Burnette struck out two against five walks, battling through 4.2 innings with six runs – five earned – on four hits.
 
WCU's defense turned three double plays in the win.
 
ETSU reliever Evan Rolison (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season, surrendering four runs on five hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Starter Tadan Bell struck out five against four walks, chased in the fourth inning after allowing seven runs – six earned – on nine hits.
 
Game Two – ETSU 4, Western Carolina 3
Trey Spees drove home two runs on a sixth-inning single to claw the Catamounts back within a run in Friday's twin bill nightcap. However, missed opportunities prevented Western Carolina from completing the doubleheader sweep, falling to ETSU 4-3.
 
After driving home two in the sixth, Spees advanced to second base on a failed pick-off attempt, but was stranded. Two innings later, Jaylen Jones was plunked and Mason Holton laid down a perfect right-side bunt to put two aboard with nobody out. However, a pop-up on a sacrifice bunt attempt landed the Bucs a double-play to squelch the Catamount rally.
 
In the ninth, Jackson Lyda nearly knotted the game, driving one 344 feet to the wall in right field, but the park held it. Trent Turner drew a two-out HBP, but Tristan Curless collected his third save of the season by ending the game with a strikeout.
 
Spees (2-for-4) drove home all three of WCU's runs on a second-inning double and the two-run sixth-inning single. Cole Jones (2-for-3) reached base three times with a walk, single, and double, sequentially, scoring two of WCU's three runs. Five of WCU's eight base hits came from the bottom third of the order.
 
WCU out-hit the Bucs 8-to-7, but stranded nine base runners in the loss.
 
Jamie Palmese (2-for-4) hit a solo home run to give the Buccaneers the early lead and scored two of ETSU's four runs. Luke Matlock (1-for-4) drove home the go-ahead run on a double to left field in the fourth inning, with an Axel Melendez groundout plating the third run. The visitors scored the eventual game-winning run on one of two double-plays turned by WCU's defense.
 
Catamount starter James Fordham (4-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on five hits and countering three walks with two strikeouts. Jacob Arnberger struck out two over 1.1 hitless, scoreless relief innings, with John Lobs holding ETSU scoreless over three innings with a strikeout and two hits allowed.
 
Michael Harpster (6-1) lasted 5.2 innings in earning the win, countering three walks with five strikeouts and scattering three runs on seven hits. Reid Bronson struck out three in 1.1 relief innings, with Tristan Curless collecting his third save of the year, striking out two over two hitless, scoreless innings. Curless made the diving play off the mound on the bunt attempt in the eighth to start the second of two ETSU double plays in the win.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday in Cullowhee.