Apr 06, 2010
Western Carolina rallies to defeat baseball 11-8

Cullowhee, N.C. (April 4, 2010) - Western Carolina fought back from an early five-run deficit to nip NYIT, 11-8, on Sunday afternoon at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. WCU (18-8-1) clinched the weekend series by outscoring NYIT (5-11) 7-to-2 in the last five and a half innings.

Jon Costa (1-1) took the loss for NYIT, giving up two earned runs with three strikeouts in an inning and two-thirds. Jerry and Brian Smith managed a combined six hits and two runs for the Bears, while teammate Effery Valdez collected three hits with two RBI.

The Bears scored six runs on seven hits in the top of the second to take a 6-1 lead. Junior Matt John's highlighted a two-run bomb to left field to cut the Cats' deficit to 6-4. Western Carolina added five more runs in the middle innings to take control of the game, 9-7.

Facing a 6-1 deficit, the Catamounts chipped away with a trio of runs in the home-half of the second. Infielder Tyler Kirkpatrick scored from a Cameron Dullnig sacrifice fly to cut the NYIT lead to four. Johns' first blast of the contest to left field cut WCU's deficit to 6-4.

NYIT padded their lead with another run in the top of the third, before Johns added his fourth homer of the season to cut the Bears' lead to 7-6. Trevor Collias' single at third drove in Kirkpatrick to tie the contest at seven. On the next play, Collias was caught in a rundown between first and second, but the distraction allowed Cameron Dulling to slide in safely to give the Catamounts the 8-7 advantage and the lead for good.