Box Score Game Box (pdf)
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – On Saturday afternoon at Hennon Stadium, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 11-0 by Western Carolina. The Terriers were limited to just four hits on the day as Catamount pitcher Jordan Smith threw a complete game shutout.
Wofford is now 19-21 on the season and 6-11 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 15-20-1 overall and 6-14 in conference play. The Terriers’ four hits were by four different players. The Catamounts were led by Ross Heffley and Aaron Attaway with three hits each and Stephen Notaro with three RBIs.
The Catamounts got on the board in the bottom of the first when Ross Heffley singled and was driven in on a double to right field by Stephen Notaro for a 1-0 lead. Western Carolina opened the bottom of the third with singles by Austin Schultz and Ross Heffley. A sacrifice fly by Stephen Notaro scored Schultz for a 2-0 advantage.
Clark Wise had the first hit of the day for the Terriers to lead off the fourth inning, but a double play ended the inning. The Catamounts added two more singles and when Austin Schultz reached on an error, both runners scored for a 4-0 lead. A double by Ross Heffley added another unearned run to make it a 5-0 game.
Western Carolina had the lead-off batter reach in the bottom of the fifth when the original call of out at first was changed by the umpires. A triple by Adam Martin drove in the run to increase the lead to 6-0.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Wofford had two runners reach base in the top of the seventh, but both were stranded. The Terriers had one runner left on base in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Catamounts added five runs to extend the lead to 11-0.
Wofford starter Brandon Yarusi (0-3) went 4.2 innings and allowed eleven hits and six runs (three earned) along with three strikeouts. Jesse Morris threw 2.1 innings and gave up three runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Anthony Rowland got the final three outs, giving up two runs on one hit with two strikeouts.
Western Carolina starter Jordan Smith (5-4) threw nine innings and allowed only four hits in the complete game shutout.
The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Terriers, the longest since the 2008 season. Wofford and Western Carolina will play the deciding game of the series at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Next weekend the Terriers will host College of Charleston for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
