Western Carolina evened its best-of-three series against UNC Greensboro with a 4-1 win on Friday, a performance that not only secured a top seed in the upcoming SoCon Baseball Championship but also gave the Catamounts a chance to share the regular-season championship.
A decisive performance ahead of the SoCon tournament
The breakthrough came in the fourth inning when Noah Quarless launched a three-run home run that pushed the lead to four runs, a swing that seemed to energize the entire lineup.
Veteran right-hander James Fordham turned in a quality start, scattering seven scoreless innings and keeping the opposition at bay while the offense rallied around him.
The Catamounts’ batting order was relentless; every one of the nine starters recorded a hit, and the team finished the game with ten base hits, a stark contrast to the two hits they managed in the previous outing.
Among the contributors were Trent Turner, Luke Holland, Trey Spees, Cole Jones, Wyatt Stanley, Mason Snyder, Mayson Dear and Cannon Lee, each adding to the offensive onslaught.
The series will conclude on Saturday at 2 p.m., when WCU looks to cement its position and potentially clinch the regular-season title outright.
Coach Jaylen Jones praised the collective effort, noting that the depth of the roster gave the team flexibility in both pitching and hitting.
UNC Greensboro’s Jacob Budzik managed three hits, but the Catamounts’ pitching staff limited his impact throughout the contest.