Kent State University
9-6
Western Carolina
2-17
Those Darn Cats
3/18/2018 4:47:00 PM | Baseball
WCU avoids sweep with 9-2 romp over KSU
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina ended the longest losing streak in school history and avoided a second straight home sweep by bashing past Kent State, 9-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Having lost 14 consecutive games, the Catamounts (2-17) erased any doubt early in the contest by racing out to a 6-0 lead after three innings. WCU broke things open with a four-run third. The Catamounts – who had a team ERA of well over eight coming into the weekend – got tremendous pitching in the game, allowing the Golden Flashes' offense just two runs – coming in the eighth with the Cats leading 7-0.
KSU (9-6) was limited to just five hits on the day, getting two each from Pavin Parks and Brad Hamilton. The patient Kent offense waited out eight walks, but never could get on track against WCU pitching. Defense was an issue for a rare time this season as the KSU defense, which played errorless defense on Friday, committed three errors.
Kent State ends its non-league weekend slate at nine up and six down. The Golden Flashes are slated to host Youngstown State on Tuesday in the home opener before welcoming in MAC rival Ball State for the first conference weekend at Schoonover Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Taylor Purus (1-4)
L: Skolnicki, Jared (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Hamilton, Brad 1
RBI: Parks, Pavin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Mamarella, Mason 1 ; Kanavas, Nick 1
SB: Kanavas, Nick 1
Batting:
2B: Cameron Blaquiere 1
3B: Bryson Parks 1
RBI: Bryson Parks 1 ; Justice Bigbie 2 ; Cameron Blaquiere 2 ; Spencer Holcomb 1
SH: Caleb Robinson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bryson Parks 2 ; Caleb Robinson 1 ; Justice Bigbie 1 ; Kitt Capell 1 ; Cameron Blaquiere 1 ; Matthew Koehler 1 ; Spencer Holcomb 1 ; Will Prater 1
SB: Bryson Parks 1 ; Caleb Robinson 1 ; Matthew Koehler 1 ; Spencer Holcomb 1
