CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Brent Greer launched a 2-1 pitch from Daniel Britt over the leftfield wall to lead the Western Carolina Catamounts to a 5-4 Southern Conference baseball victory over the Elon Phoenix in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon. The win gave Western Carolina (27-12, 11-5 SoCon) the series sweep of Elon (22-20, 11-7), the first SoCon series sweep of the Phoenix since 2005. In all three games of the weekend, the Catamounts pulled out the victory in their final at bat of the contest.
Elon scored the game’s first run in the third inning when Jordy Snyder plated Drew Davis with a sacrifice fly. The runs scored without the Phoenix recording a hit in the frame. Davis and Chase Austin walked to start the at bat. Chris Dove reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Austin at second before the sac fly scored the run.
Chris Vasami led off Elon’s half of the fourth with a single to right before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Robert Rodebaugh’s single to center put runners on the corners. Ryan Addison grounded a ball to third and the Catamounts threw Vasami out at the plate for the first out. Elon was unable to score after threatening, however, as Mike Melillo grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
The Catamounts scored the tying run in the bottom of the fourth when Greer scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jonathan Greene. Again, the run scored without a hit as Greer walked, went to second on a wild pitch and then went to third on a fly out before coming in on the sac fly.
With one away in the bottom of the fifth, Nick Liles drew a walk before the Catamounts perfectly executed the hit-and-run as Blake Murphy lined a ball to right to put runners on the corners. Zach Booker then induced Jason Haynes to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and keep the game even at one.
Pat Irvine led off the top of the sixth with a walk and went to second on Vasami’s single to right. After a ground out moved both runners into scoring position, Addison singled up the middle, driving in both Irvine and Vasami to put the Phoenix on top 3-1.
Barrett Shaft started the bottom of the sixth with a single up the middle before Greer walked to put two men aboard. Steven Strausbaugh sacrificed both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Booker fanned Greene for out number two before Kenny Smith singled both runners home with a laser to right.
With two away in the bottom of the seventh, pinch-hitter Adam Baker grounded a ball to short which was booted to give the Catamounts new life. After a walk to Shaft, Elon turned the ball over to Daniel Britt to face Greer. Greer singled to the gap in left, scoring pinch-runner Dylan de Graaf with the go-ahead run. On the throw to third, Greer took second.
Elon scored a two-out run in the top of the ninth to tie the game at four when Snyder singled to right, scoring pinch-runner Matt Hill from second.
Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Phoenix with two outs in the top of the 10th before Dove flew out to right-center to end the threat.
Greer ended the game by hitting his third homer of the year, and second in two days. It was a solo shot to left to end the game.
Britt (0-1) took the loss after allowing one run on two hits in 2.1 innings of work. Booker went 6.2 innings and surrendered four runs (three earned) on four hits. Booker also struck out four.
Greg Holland (4-2) earned his third win of the weekend by throwing 2.0 innings and allowing one run on three hits. Corey Martin started and lasted 5.0 innings. The Phoenix got three runs on six hits off of Martin.
Snyder (2-for-4) and Addison (1-for-5) each drove in two runs for the Phoenix. Along with Snyder, Vasami (2-for-5), Rodebaugh (3-for-4) and Davis (2-for-2) all had multi-hit games.
Greer finished the day 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI while Smith was 1-for-4 with two driven in.
The Phoenix stranded 12 runners on the day to six for the Catamounts.
Elon will travel to take on the Clemson Tigers at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday evening from Clemson, S.C.
– ELON –
