Box Score Game Box (pdf)
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – In the third game of the weekend series at Western Carolina, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 25-14 on Easter Sunday at Hennon Stadium. The Catamounts scored six runs in the first inning, five of them unearned, to take a lead. They added nine runs in the bottom of the fourth and five runs in the fifth on the way to the series win.
Wofford is now 19-22 on the season and 6-12 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 16-20-1 overall and 7-14 in conference play. The teams combined for 39 runs and 39 hits as a total of 14 pitchers were used. Wofford had 15 hits in the game, but five errors and nine walks made things tough for the Terriers.
The Catamounts opened the game with Austin Schultz reaching on an error, then a home run over the left field wall by Ross Heffley made it a 2-0 game. Western Carolina added a single and a walk. A third error in the first inning scored a run for a 4-0 advantage for the Catamounts. With the bases loaded, a single by Schultz scored two more runs for a 6-0 game after the first inning.
In the bottom of the third, the Catamounts had runners on the corners with one out when Eric Eck entered the game to pitch for Wofford. Wofford caught the runner stealing second, then threw to home and caught the runner before he could touch the plate for the third out of the inning.
Mac Doyle hit a double down the right line in the top of the fourth for the second hit of the day for Wofford. Walks to Josh McKinney and David Roney loaded the bases with one out. With two out, a double to left center by Matt Moore cleared the bases to make it a 6-3 game.
Western Carolina scored nine runs on eight hits in the fourth inning as they pushed the lead to 15-3. Wofford opened the fifth with a double by Clark Wise and a single by James Foster. Back-to-back RBI singles by Mac Doyle and Josh McKinney made it a 15-5 score. With two out, Landon Bennett had an RBI single to cut the lead to 15-6.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Catamounts loaded the bases on a walk, single and error. A single by Ross Heffley scored two runs to increase the lead to 17-6. A double and a single scored three more runs for a 20-6 score. Western Carolina left three on base to end the fifth.
After neither team scored in the sixth, Wofford had a single from David Roney and a double by Josh Hyman in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded, Clark Wise was hit by a pitch and James Foster walked to score two runs and cut the lead to 20-8. A balk with the bases loaded added a run made it a 20-9 score at the seventh inning stretch.
The Catamounts added three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 23-9 lead. The Terriers scored one run in the top of the eighth on a fielder’s choice by Julian Bridges for a 23-10 score. Western Carolina added a two-run homer by Stephen Notaro for a 25-10 lead. The Terriers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth and a single by Mac Doyle drove in a run. David Roney had a sacrifice fly that added a run for a 25-12 score. A two-out double down the right field line by Josh Hyman made it a 25-14 game.
Wofford starter Tom Dolinak (3-4) went 2.1 innings and allowed five hits and six runs, five of which were unearned, with one strikeout and four walks. Eric Eck allowed four hits and four runs in an inning of work. Pete Noordsy walked the lone batter he faced and gave up a run. Bobby Streisel went two-thirds of an inning and gave up four runs on four hits with one strikeout. Ryan Traylor threw an inning and gave up five runs on five hits with a strikeout. Drew Sheridan went the final three innings with six hits and five runs allowed with four strikeouts.
Western Carolina starter Preston Hatcher went four innings and allowed three runs on three hits with one strikeout. Taylor Sandefur threw two-thirds of an inning and gave up three runs on five hits with one strikeout. Jeremy Sluder picked up two outs, one of which was a strikeout. Morgan McKinney also went two-thirds of an inning, giving up one hit with a strikeout. TJ Page threw an inning with three runs scored on two hits. Kyle Deese went an inning and gave up one run on a hit. Kyle Stewart allowed four runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Darron Dotson struck out the final batter.
Next weekend the Terriers will host College of Charleston for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
