|
WCU splits opening twin bill with Butler
Western Carolina’s baseball team split a Sunday doubleheader with Butler in the season opener at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.
The teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday, but Saturday’s inclement weather moved the games to Sunday and brought about one cancellation.
The Bulldogs scored twice in the 10th to win game one 5-3 while the Catamounts scored twice in the sixth to win the seven-inning second game 4-2.
An error and a bases-loaded walk to Rick Betsch accounted for Butler’s two runs in the 10th to break a 3-3 tie.
The Cats had taken a 1-0 lead in the first on an error.
The Bulldogs went up 2-1 in the third on RBI singles by Jeff Brown and Alex Rinearson.
Brown’s homer made it 3-1 in the eighth.
WCU tied it in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run homer by Steven Strausbaugh.
Brian Deter was the winner in relief. He finished the game with two scoreless innings.
WCU reliever Greg Holland took the loss.
Brown and Stephen Gill both had two hits for Butler.
Western’s Barrett Shaft was three of five.
Tim Hallam’s RBI double and an error allowed the Cats to score twice in the sixth inning of game two.
Western went up 2-0 in the first on Strausbaugh’s homer and Jonathan Greene’s RBI single.
Butler cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third on Dustin Bucalo’s RBI double.
An error allowed the Bulldogs to pull into a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth.
Tyler Sexton allowed four hits and a walk while striking out seven over six innings for the win. Brock Thornburg picked up the save with a scoreless seventh.
Butler reliever Craig Costello suffered the loss.
|
