Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Western Carolina
Marshall Baseball Falls to Western Carolina, 11-5
2/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2008
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Marshall University senior left fielder Jeff Rowley tallied his second home run of the season, but Western Carolina hit four home runs to help lift the Catamounts to an 11-5 victory over the Herd in Saturday afternoon's non-conference baseball game at Hennon Stadium.
With the loss, Marshall falls to 1-1 on the season while Western Carolina improves to 1-1 overall.
Marshall jumped out to an early 4-0 lead through four innings before the Catamounts used a five-run bottom half of the fourth, and three-run fifth to post an 8-4 lead on the Herd. Western Carolina then plated three runs in the eighth to take a commanding 11-4 lead.
Marshall tallied a run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly to right field by junior center fielder Nate Lape, scoring junior third baseman Brandon Casamassima. However, it would prove to be too little too late as the Catamounts held on for an 11-5 victory.
Western Carolina right handed junior pitcher Garrett Ozar tallied the victory, while sophomore reliever Chris Masters earned the save.
Marshall drew first blood as Casamassima and Rowley tallied back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning. It was Rowley's second home run of the year.
In the top of the fourth, senior catcher Tommy Johnson reached on a single and sophomore first baseman Josh Valle was hit by a pitch. Freshman designated hitter Victor Gomez drove in Johnson, advancing Valle to third. Valle then slid under the tag of Catamount senior catcher Blake Murphy on freshman second baseman Kenny Socorro's fielder's choice, extending the Herd lead to 4-0.
Western Carolina fought back with a big bottom half of the fourth when sophomore first baseman Tyler Kirkpatrick drilled a three-run homer to left. Freshman right fielder Ryan Mathews followed that up with a double down the right field line. He scored on junior designated hitter Iain Sebastian's two-run shot. Herd junior right hander Steve Blevins was able to get out of the inning by retiring the next two batters, but the Catamounts took a 5-4 lead in the inning.
The Catamounts tacked on three more in the bottom of the fifth inning when Murphy sent a two-run blast over the `purple monster' in left field. Junior outfielder JC Lyons went deep in the very next at-bat giving Western Carolina an 8-4 lead.
Blevins had a one-hit shutout going through three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Blevins struck out five Catamounts in 4.2 innings of work in taking the loss for the Herd.
Junior lefty Brian Mooney teamed with senior right hander Adam Dobies to silence the Catamounts through two innings.
Casamassima, Rowley, Lape and Gomez each finished with two hits for the Herd.
The Herd will face the Catamounts in the rubber match of the series Sunday, Feb. 24. Game-time is set for 2:00 p.m. at Hennon Field. Sophomore right hander Dan Straily is the scheduled starter for the Herd.
