CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina's Dykota Spiess went 4-for-6 with three home runs over two games, including a walk-off blast in the 11th inning of game two, as Western Carolina defeated UNCG, 16-2 and 6-5, in a Southern Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Hennon Stadium.
Western Carolina (17-6, 4-1 SoCon) used timely hitting and good pitching to remain undefeated (11-0) at home this season. The Catamounts' pitching staff accumulated 26 strikeouts over the two games while only allowing six earned runs in 20 innings of baseball.
UNCG (12-10, 2-6 SoCon) was led by Lloyd Enzor, who collected six hits on the day with an RBI.
In game one, the Catamounts' Jordan Smith tossed a gem, going eight strong innings while scattering seven hits and allowing one run. Smith struck out a career-high 11 batters, including four in a row at one point. Western Carolina pounded out a season-high 19 hits in the 16-2 victory.
Western Carolina's Bradley Strong led the hit parade, going 4-for-4 with three RBI. Spiess entered the game as a pinch-hitter and finished the game going 3-for-3 with two home runs while driving in five runs, scoring four runs and drawing a walk.
Western Carolina took at 2-0 lead after Strong delivered a two-run single to right field in the second inning. Aaron Attaway followed with an RBI single of his own to give the Catamounts a 3-0 lead after two innings. The Spartans cracked the scoreboard after back-to-back doubles from Enzor and Zach Leach to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the fourth inning. That would be as close as the Spartans would get as the Catamounts would score 13 unanswered runs by scoring in each of the last five innings, highlighted by a six-run sixth.
After scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, Western Carolina sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth and would see Spiess hit a towering three-run shot to chase UNCG reliever Lee Gilliam. The Catamounts would lead 11-1 after six innings.
Catamount catcher Adam Martin hit a two-run double in the seventh and Spiess hit his second home run of the day in the eighth to conclude the Catamount scoring. The Spartans' Thomas Troelstrup drew an RBI walk in the ninth inning, but William Frazier struck out the last two batters to end the threat and the game, 16-2.
Tyler Hollstegge (2-2) took the loss for UNCG in game one after giving up four earned runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of work.
In game two, UNCG would draw first blood after Enzor delivered an RBI double down the left field line to give the Spartans an early 1-0 lead after a half-inning of play. However, the bats didn't sleep during the intermission for the Catamounts as Martin roped an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at one after one inning of play.
Ross Heffley gave the Catamounts a 2-1 lead after three following a single through the left side. It was one of his three hits in the game.
UNCG would score four runs in the sixth inning highlighted by a three-run blast to right by TJ Spina. With the Spartans leading 5-2 following the seventh-inning stretch, Western Carolina responded with three runs in the seventh thanks to a two-run single, again, from Martin. Spiess capped off the scoring with an RBI groundout.
UNCG wasted a golden opportunity in the 10th after loading the bases on walks; Kris Richards grounded into a fielder's choice and Zach Leach struck out to end the threat.
One inning later, Spiess connected on a 1-0 pitch from Brennan James (0-1) for the walk-off victory for the Catamounts.
James took the loss for the Spartans pitching three innings of four hit ball and walking two.
Preston Hatcher (4-0) gathered the win for the Catamounts, tossing four innings of two-hit relief and striking out five.
UNCG and Western Carolina will conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
AGATE
Western Carolina 16, UNCG 2 (Mar 24, 2012 at Cullowhee, N.C.) (Game 1)
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UNCG................ 000 100 001 - 2 8 3 (12-9, 2-5)
Western Carolina.... 030 116 23X - 16 19 1 (16-6, 3-1)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Tyler Hollstegge; Jonathan Jones(4); Lee Gilliam(5); Wes McBride(6);
Tyler Frazier(7) and Trevor Edwards. Western Carolina - Jordan Smith; Andrew Blackwell(9);
William Frazier(9) and Adam Martin; Connor Andrus.
Win-Jordan Smith(2-3) Loss-Tyler Hollstegge(2-2) T-3:09 A-235
HR WCU - Dykota Spiess 2.
Weather: 62 degrees mostly cloudy
Gilliam faced 4 batters in the 6th.
Western Carolina 6, UNCG 5 (Mar 24, 2012 at Cullowhee, N.C.) (Game 2)
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UNCG................ 100 004 000 00 - 5 12 1 (12-10, 2-6)
Western Carolina.... 101 000 300 01 - 6 15 3 (17-6, 4-1)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Corey Taylor; Dominique Vattuone(6); Zach Furl(7); Jonathan Jones(7);
Brennen James(8) and Cambric Moye. Western Carolina - Morgan McKinney; Darron Dotson(6);
Hunter Brister(7); Tyler Powell(7); Preston Hatcher(8) and Connor Andrus; Adam Martin.
Win-Preston Hatcher(4-0) Loss-Brennen James(0-1) T-3:34 A-442
HR UNCG - TJ Spina.
HR WCU - Dykota Spiess.
Weather: 63 degrees mostly cloudy
Vattuone faced 3 batters in the 7th.
- UNCG -
