Western Carolina's Jayme Eilers
Western Carolina Athletics
Western Carolina's Jayme Eilers

Softball

Western Carolina drops pair of games to App State

Catamounts fall 5-1, 4-3 in home opener

The Basics 
Score: Appalachian State 5, Western Carolina 1, Appalachian State 4, Western Carolina 3 (10 innings)
 Records: Western Carolina 5-15, Appalachian State 13-10
 Location: Cullowhee, N.C., Catamount Softball Complex
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball dropped a pair of hard-fought games with visiting Appalachian State, in the Catamounts’ home opener, falling in game one 5-1, and a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in 10 innings in game two, at the Catamount Softball Complex.
 
Appalachian State 5, Western Carolina 1
 
Turning Point 
Western Carolina led for six innings but three Mountaineer home runs, in the top of the seventh, giving them the lead and the win. 
 
How it Happened 
  • With two outs, junior Bailey Huneycutt gave Western Carolina a 1-0 lead, with one swing of the bat, a solo home run to left field.
  • It was the home run that paced Appalachian State in the top of the seventh. It all began with a single and an RBI double and then the Mountaineers hit three home runs in the inning. 
 
 Inside the Box Score 
  • Sophomore pitcher Jayme Eilers was tossing a shutout until Appalachian State’s offensive explosion in the seventh inning. She tossed the complete game giving up five runs on 11 hits and struck out six. She falls to 3-8 on the year. 
  • The Catamounts had four hits in the game, two by Huneycutt. 
  • Besides Huneycutt’s solo home run, Western Carolina’s strongest scoring chance came in the fourth when Huneycutt singled and made her way to third from a single by Myra Twitty. She was stranded there and the scoring chance ended.
 
Appalachian State 4, Western Carolina 3 (10 innings)
 
Turning Point 
Using the international tie-breaker rule, placing a runner on second, Appalachian State plated two runs in the top of the 10th, and Western Carolina could only get one run across to drop the game 4-3. 
 
How it Happened 
  • Appalachian State struck early with a solo home run in the top of the third inning. 
  • Scoring was at a premium in the ensuing innings until the bottom of the seventh when Western Carolina was down to its last out and trailing 0-1. 
  • The Catamounts opened the bottom of the seventh with a Kailey McNeil single up the middle. It was then time for some of the players off the bench to shine. Claudia Riddle replaced McNeil at first as a pinch-runner and pinch hitter Samantha Reele hit a single down the third-base line to put runners at first and second. Pinch hitter Anna Paige Pelfrey ground out but she moved the runners to second and third. Pinch hitter Bailey Treadway drew a walk to load the bases. After Riddle was out at home on a fielder’s choice, with two outs an Appalachian State error at second base allowed Morgan Maddaluna to reach first, Reele scored to tie the game 1-1.
  • The late-inning heroics forced the game to extra innings and the international tiebreaker rule placing the last batter who got out, in the previous inning, on second base. 
  • Neither team scored in the eighth inning forcing a ninth.
  • In the ninth, Appalachian State took its second lead of the game with a run in the top of the inning. 
  • Western Carolina tied the game for the second time when McNeil was placed on second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored from the Mountaineer's second error in the game. 
  • For the third time, Appalachian State took the lead but this time scored two runs in the top of the 10th. 
  • Western Carolina had a solid chance to tie the game for the third time after Perillo was placed on second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Huneycutt hit an RBI single up the middle scoring Perillo and pulled WCU within one run, 4-3, with no outs. Three straight outs ended the Catamounts’ rally attempt. 
 
 Inside the Box Score 
  • Savannah riced tossed 10 innings giving up two earned runs giving up four hits and striking out four. She falls to 2-7 on the year. 
  • The Catamounts out-hit the Mountaineers four to six. 
  • Twice Western Carolina has bases loaded and got only one run from it. 
  • McNeil had two of Western Carolina’s four hits. 
 
News & Notes 
  • Maddaluna returned to the Catamount lineup for the first time since Feb. 19 after an injury sidelined her for five weeks. 
  • Twitty had her eight-game hitting streak snapped after not getting a hit in game two against Appalachian State. 
  • Huneycutt leads the team with 19 hits and also tops the team with four home runs. 
  • Eilers has 57 strikeouts on the season and her 80 career strikeouts move her into 14th place in the WCU record books. 
  • Western Carolina has now played in two extra-inning games and lost by one run in both. 
 
Up Next 
Western Carolina opens Southern Conference play this weekend traveling to Chattanooga for a three-game series. The Catamounts and Mocs will play a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m., Saturday and single game beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday.