FURMAN FALLS TO WESTERN CAROLINA 8-3
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina took advantage of two Furman errors in the bottom of the eighth inning to break open a tight game and pull out an 8-3 victory Friday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.
The Catamounts (16-8, 7-3 SoCon) and Paladins (10-17, 3-7 SoCon) are set to play the second of their three-game set on Saturday at 1 pm.
Furman jumped out to a 1-0 in the top of the first when sophomore Derek Norman hit a two-out home run to left-center field. The blast was his fifth of the season. Western knotted the game in the bottom half of the frame. Ryan Schade, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored, singled and scored on an Alan Beck single to right.
In the third, the Paladins regained the lead (3-1), striking once again with two outs. Craig Caudill and Norman had back-to-back singles, followed by an RBI double by Drew Latora. Dominic Frankey then plated Norman on a check-swing infield single.
Western cut its deficit to one (3-2) in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Todd Buchanan, which scored Rod Goldston.
After giving up three runs and eight hits in his first three innings, WCU starter Jared Burton settled down, allowing no runs and three hits over his next five innings. After giving up the RBI infield single to Frankey in the third inning, Burton retired 16 of his next 19 batters faced. The junior improved to 5-2 on the season, surrendering a total of 11 hits, three runs and one walk with four strikeouts. Ryan Foster pitched a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts, but was not eligible for a save.
While Burton was shutting down Furman, Western began to chip away at the Paladins, scoring single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and three in the eighth.
In the fifth, Schade scored on an single by Donovan Minero to tie the game at 3-3. Designated hitter Chris Davis started the sixth inning with a single to left. Three batters later, a Goldston single combined with a Furman error allowed Davis to score to make the score 4-3. In the seventh, Minero doubled and advanced to third on a single by Brian Sigmon. WCU pinch hitter Doug Myers delivered a sacrifice fly off Paladin relief pitcher Jeff Stovall to put the Cats up 5-3.
In the eighth, Todd Roper and Goldston started the inning with consecutive singles. The bases then emptied on Schade's sacrifice bunt. The bunt was fielded by Furman relief pitcher Jon Stallsmith, but an errant throw to first allowed Roper and Goldston to score. The Paladins attempted to throw Schade out at third on the play, but the ball went in the WCU dugout allowing the senior to score and make the final 8-3.
Goldston, Schade, Minero and Davis each had three hits for the Catamounts. Furman was led by Norman (2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored), Frankey (3-for-4) and Nick Wajda (2-for-4).
Furman starter Tom Mastny fell to 2-3 on the season, allowing 15 hits and five runs (four earned), while walking none and striking out four.